Journal
APIDOLOGIE
Volume 48, Issue 1, Pages 1-7Publisher
SPRINGER FRANCE
DOI: 10.1007/s13592-016-0442-x
Keywords
Meliponini; biogenic amines; sucrose response threshold; neuropharmacology
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Funding
- Argentinian Science Foundation CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas) [PIP11220110100472]
- Argentinian Science Foundation ANPCYT (Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica) [PICT-2013-1060]
- University of Buenos Aires [UBACYT20020130100185BA]
- Brazilian Science Foundation FAPESP (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo) [2006/50809-7]
- Brazilian Science Foundation CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico) [304722/2010-3, 309914/2013-2]
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Biogenic amines modulate physiological responses and, consequently, the behaviour of animals. Here, we present the first pharmacological approach to evaluate the influence of octopamine (OA) in stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini), a group of highly eusocial bees distributed in the tropical and southern subtropical areas of the globe. In sucrose response threshold assays, foragers of Melipona scutellaris showed an increased responsiveness to sucrose after oral OA treatments. The effect of OA on the bees' responsiveness to sucrose was OA dose-dependent and lasted for up to 1 h. Our results indicate that experimental approaches similar to the ones used for honey bees, Apis mellifera, are feasible for stingless bees. This opens opportunities to study the variability of aminergic regulation of collective behaviour in social bees.
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