Odor discrimination in classical conditioning of proboscis extension in two stingless bee species in comparison to Africanized honeybees
Odor discrimination in classical conditioning of proboscis extension in two stingless bee species in comparison to Africanized honeybees
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DOI：
10.1007/s00359-007-0260-8
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发表时间：
2007-11-01
影响因子：
2.1
通讯作者：
Farina, W. M.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Mc Cabe, S. I.;Hartfelder, K.;Farina, W. M.
昆虫的学习已经被广泛地研究，使用不同的实验方法。其中之一，长鼻延伸反应（PER）范式，特别适合于定量研究的认知能力的蜜蜂在受控条件下。本研究的目的是分析三种真社会性蜜蜂在PER范式中被嗅觉条件化的能力。我们研究了两种巴西无刺蜂，Melipona quadrifasciata和Scaptotrigona aff。depilis和入侵的非洲化蜜蜂Apis mellifera。这三个物种提出了非常不同的招聘策略，这可能与不同的气味学习能力。我们评估了他们的味觉反应和学习能力，以区分花香。味觉反应相似的三种，虽然S。aff. depilis工人表现出波动沿着实验期间。学习实验的结果表明，M。quadrifasciata工人可以在经典的差异条件反射协议中被条件反射以辨别花香，并且这种辨别在训练后保持15分钟。在条件反射过程中，非洲化蜜蜂表现出最高的辨别力。quadrifasciata为中间型，S. aff.无毛蜜蜂没有表现出歧视。考虑到每个物种的假定不同的学习能力和程序效应的差异进行了讨论。
Learning in insects has been extensively studied using different experimental approaches. One of them, the proboscis extension response (PER) paradigm, is particularly well suited for quantitative studies of cognitive abilities of honeybees under controlled conditions. The goal of this study was to analyze the capability of three eusocial bee species to be olfactory conditioned in the PER paradigm. We worked with two Brazilian stingless bees species, Melipona quadrifasciata and Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, and with the invasive Africanized honeybee, Apis mellifera. These three species present very different recruitment strategies, which could be related with different odor-learning abilities. We evaluated their gustatory responsiveness and learning capability to discriminate floral odors. Gustatory responsiveness was similar for the three species, although S. aff. depilis workers showed fluctuations along the experimental period. Results for the learning assays revealed that M. quadrifasciata workers can be conditioned to discriminate floral odors in a classical differential conditioning protocol and that this discrimination is maintained 15 min after training. During conditioning, Africanized honeybees presented the highest discrimination, for M. quadrifasciata it was intermediate, and S. aff. depilis bees presented no discrimination. The differences found are discussed considering the putative different learning abilities and procedure effect for each species.