@article{fdi:010040767,
  title = {{C}hanges in composition of cuticular biochemicals of the facultatively polygynous ant {P}etalomyrmex phylax during range expansion in {C}ameroon with respect to social, spatial and genetic variation},
  author = {{D}alecky, {A}mbroise and {R}enucci, {M}. and {T}irard, {A}. and {D}ebout, {G}. and {R}oux, {M}. and {K}jellberg, {F}. and {P}rovost, {E}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}n social insects, biochemicals found at the surface of the cuticle are involved in the recognition process and in protection against desiccation and pathogens. {H}owever, the relative contribution of evolutionary forces in shaping diversity of these biochemicals remains largely unresolved in ants. {W}e determined the composition of epicuticular biochemicals for workers sampled in 12 populations of the ant {P}etalomyrmex phylax from {C}ameroon. {G}enetic variation at 12 microsatellite markers was used to infer population history and to provide null expectations under the neutrality hypothesis. {G}enetic data suggest a recent southward range expansion of this ant species. {F}urthermore, there is a decline southward in the numbers of queens present in mature colonies. {H}ere, we contrast the pattern of biochemical variation against genetic, social and spatial parameters. {W}e thus provide the first estimates of the relative contribution of neutral and selective processes on variation of ant cuticular profile. {P}opulations in migration-drift disequilibrium showed reduction of within-population variation for genetic markers as well as for cuticular profiles. {I}n these populations, the cuticular profile became biased towards a limited number of high molecular weight molecules. {W}ithin- and among-population biochemical variation was explained by both genetic and social variation and by the spatial distribution of populations. {W}e therefore propose that during range expansion of {P}. phylax, the composition of epicuticular compounds has been affected by a combination of neutral processes - genetic drift and spatially limited dispersal - and spatially varying selection, social organization and environmental effects.},
  keywords = {cuticular profile ; dispersal ; genetic drift ; queen number ; selection ; social insect},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{M}olecular {E}cology},
  volume = {16},
  numero = {18},
  pages = {3778--3791},
  ISSN = {0962-1083},
  year = {2007},
  DOI = {10.1111/j.1365-294{X}.2007.03429.x},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010040767},
}