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Figure 3 | Frontiers in Zoology

Figure 3

From: The role of juvenile hormone in dominance behavior, reproduction and cuticular pheromone signaling in the caste-flexible epiponine wasp, Synoeca surinama

Figure 3

JH titers according to female status. A Mixed Model analysis of samples taken from colonies 4–10, using up to two fixed factors (Female Status and Colony Condition) and a random one (Colony). Black, white and gray bars indicate samples from queenright (QR) conditions, queenless (QL) conditions and a combination of samples from QR and QL conditions, respectively. Least Squared Means (±SE) are shown along with sample size. (A) In QR conditions, JH differed between the female groups (F4,186=63.29, P<0.0001). Queens (Q) had higher titers than newly emerged (NE) females (t=−8.34), new benders without history of working (B) (t=−6.52), 1-3 day old pre-working and working females (pW) (t=−9.85), and workers >3 days old (W) (t=−15.35)). Also, pW females had higher JH titers than workers (t=−2.14). (B) In QL conditions, 1-3 days after queen removal, JH levels differed between the female groups (F3,109=20.32, P<0.0001). Workers that transitioned into benders (W→B) had higher JH titers than NE females (t=−4.09), bending females which were never observed to work (t=−2.61), and workers (t=−7.53). The latter bending females also had higher JH titer than NE females (t=−2.13) and workers (t=−2.75). (C) In QL conditions, 7-8 days after queen removal, JH differed between the female groups (F3,36=5.73, P=0.003). Established benders (Est B) had higher JH titers than all female groups (vs. NE females (t=−2.42); vs. suppressed (S) females (i.e., attacked benders and huddlers) (t=−3.23); vs. workers (t=−3.85). (D) When QR and QL groups were pooled, with females classified as either queens, non-queen benders of types (ΣB), 0-3 day old non-benders (nB) and workers, JH differed according to Female Status (F3,341=65.83, P<0.0001), Colony Condition (F1,341=16.18, P<0.0001) and their interaction (F2,341=11.33, P<0.0001). Queens had higher JH titers than all other groups, and Benders had higher JH titers than nB females and workers. For all models, Colony had no effect.

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