D3152: Temporal development of olfactory structures in Camponotus floridanus

Ants are a diverse group of insects that display a highly complex form of social behavior called eusociality. They can coordinate tasks using a variety of pheromonal and chemical signals that are detected by odorant receptor neurons (ORNs) in the antenna, which then passes information through the antennal lobe (AL) to the brain for interpretation and memory integration. Ants typically contain two broad groups: the reproductive and the worker. In Camponotus floridanus, reproductive castes are the queen and males, while workers are composed of majors and minors. They display striking morphological, physiological, and behavioral differences that allow them to specialize in tasks. Given the differences we see -in both morphology and behavior- of each adult ant caste, we asked a few questions: how does the olfactory pathway differentially develop between each caste? How does the morphology of the antennal lobe change during development? What temporal differences are found between sex and castes? What genes in the ORNs may contribute to the differential development? We have observed the caste- and sex- specific developmental processes throughout the pupal stage, up to emergence in Camponotus floridanus. This research provides insight into the unique features of olfactory development in eusocial insects.