CHEMICAL CAMOUFLAGE OF MYRMECOPHILOUS CRI CKET MYRMECOPHILUS SP TO BEINTEGRATED WITH SEVERAL ANT SPECIES

When Myrmecophilous species of cricket are newly introduced to an ant nest, or when the ant colony to which the cricket belongs is disturbed , the cricket is treated in a hostile manner by worker ants in most ca ses. The cricket escapes ant attack either by swift and nimble running or by using the ant cuticular hydrocarbon components, which serve as the nestmate recognition signal to worker ants. The cricket changes it s cuticular hydrocarbon profile frequently according to the ant specie s it lives with. Lipids on the cricket cuticule mainly consist of hydr ocarbons and wax esters, but only the hydrocarbon content decreases wh en the cricket is isolated from ants, suggesting that the hydrocarbons are acquired from the ants, it cannot change the cuticular hydrocarbo n components. It is believed that the cricket acquires the ant cuticul ar hydrocarbons by direct contact with ant workers.