Experience-related reorganization of giant synapses in the lateral complex: Potential role in plasticity of the sky-compass pathway in the desert ant Cataglyphis fortis.

Cataglyphis desert ants undergo an age-related polyethism from interior workers to relatively short-lived foragers with remarkable visual navigation capabilities, predominantly achieved by path integration using a polarized skylight-based sun compass and a stride-integrating odometer. Behavioral and physiological experiments revealed that the polarization (POL) pattern is processed via specialized UV-photoreceptors in the dorsal rim area of the compound eye and POL sensitive optic lobe neurons. Further information about the neuronal substrate for processing of POL information in the ant brain has remained elusive.

Visual experience affects both behavioral and neuronal aspects in the individual life history of the desert ant Cataglyphis fortis.

The individual life history of the desert ant Cataglyphis fortis is characterized by a fast transition from interior tasks to mainly visually guided foraging. Previous studies revealed a remarkable structural synaptic plasticity in visual and olfactory input regions within the mushroom bodies of the ants' brain centers involved in learning and memory. Reorganization of synaptic complexes (microglomeruli) was shown to be triggered by sensory exposure rather than an internal program.

Antennal-lobe organization in desert ants of the genus Cataglyphis.

Desert ants of the genus Cataglyphis possess remarkable visual navigation capabilities. Although Cataglyphis species lack a trail pheromone system, Cataglyphis fortis employs olfactory cues for detecting nest and food sites. To investigate potential adaptations in primary olfactory centers of the brain of C.

Visual experience and age affect synaptic organization in the mushroom bodies of the desert ant Cataglyphis fortis.

Desert ants of the genus Cataglyphis undergo an age-related polyethism from interior workers involved in brood care and food processing to short-lived outdoor foragers with remarkable visual navigation capabilities. The quick transition from dark to light suggests that visual centers in the ant's brain express a high degree of plasticity. To investigate structural synaptic plasticity in the mushroom bodies (MBs)-sensory integration centers supposed to be involved in learning and memory-we immunolabeled and quantified pre- and postsynaptic profiles of synaptic complexes (microglomeruli, MG) in the visual (collar) and olfactory (lip) input regions of the MB calyx.