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Behavioral Ecology Advance Access published online on August 29, 2008
Behavioral Ecology, doi:10.1093/beheco/arn113
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Published by Oxford University Press 2008.

Kin recognition via cuticular hydrocarbons shapes cockroach social life

Mathieu Lihoreau and Colette Rivault

UMR 6552, Ethologie Animale et Humaine, CNRS—Université de Rennes 1, Campus Beaulieu, Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France

Address correspondence to M. Lihoreau. E-mail: mathieu.lihoreau{at}univ-rennes1.fr.


  Abstract

Genetic relatedness plays a key role in the organization and the functioning of societies. A large diversity of species has developed kin recognition abilities, allowing individuals to discriminate conspecifics in relation to relatedness. In social insects, many studies showed that discrimination generally acts at the level of nestmateship and only few studies report kin recognition abilities. Our results highlight the importance of kin recognition in shaping social life in the urban cockroach Blattella germanica (L.) and present a complete description of the recognition system from expression to action components. Cockroaches of all developmental stages (nymphs and adults) discriminate siblings from nonsiblings independently of any prior social experience. Preference is context dependent so that siblings are preferred as social partners, whereas nonsiblings are preferred as mating partners. Discrimination is based on quantitative differences of cuticular hydrocarbons that are perceived through antennal contacts. As individual cuticular profiles remain stable over time, they constitute reliable discrimination cues correlated with relatedness. Our results offer interesting perspectives for the study of kin recognition and for the understanding of evolution toward sociality in insects.

Key words: Blattella germanica, cuticular hydrocarbons, kin recognition, partner choice, social insect.

Received 13 March 2008; revised 5 August 2008; accepted 5 August 2008.


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