Data from: The evolution of queen pheromones in the ant genus Lasius

Queen pheromones are among the most important chemical messages regulating
insect societies yet they remain largely undiscovered, hindering research
into interesting proximate and ultimate questions. Identifying queen
pheromones in multiple species would give new insight into the selective
pressures and evolutionary constraints acting on these ubiquitous signals.
Here, we present experimental and phylogenetic evidence that
3-methylalkanes, hydrocarbons present on the queen’s cuticle, are a queen
pheromone throughout the ant genus Lasius. Phylogenetic analyses of the
chemical profile imply that 3-methylalkanes evolve more slowly than other
types of hydrocarbons, perhaps due to differential selection or
evolutionary constraints. We argue that the sensory ecology of the worker
response imposes strong stabilising selection on queen pheromones relative
to other hydrocarbons. 3-methylalkanes are also strongly physiologically
and genetically coupled with fecundity in at least one Lasius species,
which may translate into evolutionary constraints. Our results highlight
how honest signalling could minimise evolutionary conflict over
reproduction, promoting the evolution and maintenance of eusociality.