The pupal moulting fluid has evolved social functions in ants

Orli Snir (), Hanan Alwaseem, Søren Heissel, Anurag Sharma, Stephany Valdés-Rodríguez, Thomas S. Carroll, Caroline S. Jiang, Jacopo Razzauti and Daniel J. C. Kronauer ()
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Orli Snir: The Rockefeller University
Hanan Alwaseem: The Rockefeller University
Søren Heissel: The Rockefeller University
Anurag Sharma: The Rockefeller University
Stephany Valdés-Rodríguez: The Rockefeller University
Thomas S. Carroll: The Rockefeller University Hospital, The Rockefeller University
Caroline S. Jiang: The Rockefeller University Hospital, The Rockefeller University
Jacopo Razzauti: The Rockefeller University
Daniel J. C. Kronauer: The Rockefeller University

Nature, 2022, vol. 612, issue 7940, 488-494

Abstract: Abstract Insect societies are tightly integrated, complex biological systems in which group-level properties arise from the interactions between individuals1–4. However, these interactions have not been studied systematically and therefore remain incompletely known. Here, using a reverse engineering approach, we reveal that unlike solitary insects, ant pupae extrude a secretion derived from the moulting fluid that is rich in nutrients, hormones and neuroactive substances. This secretion elicits parental care behaviour and is rapidly removed and consumed by the adults. This behaviour is crucial for pupal survival; if the secretion is not removed, pupae develop fungal infections and die. Analogous to mammalian milk, the secretion is also an important source of early larval nutrition, and young larvae exhibit stunted growth and decreased survival without access to the fluid. We show that this derived social function of the moulting fluid generalizes across the ants. This secretion thus forms the basis of a central and hitherto overlooked interaction network in ant societies, and constitutes a rare example of how a conserved developmental process can be co-opted to provide the mechanistic basis of social interactions. These results implicate moulting fluids in having a major role in the evolution of ant eusociality.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05480-9

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