PLATE 1.41. QUEEN THORAX AND ABDOMEN, CUTICULAR HAIRS

TOP Portions of two terminal abdominal segments. Of interest is the cuticular relief that extends over these segments and the fringed and glabrous cuticular hairs that are abundant over the entire body. ( x 263)

BOTTOM LEFT. Cuticle and cuticular hairs of a metathoracic pleurite. Most of these cuticular hairs are unfringed and unbranched, and the tips are sharply pointed. Some of the long branched hairs along the periphery of the abdominal tergites and sternites are attached to gland cells that may be the source of queen pheromone obtained by workers during grooming. (x 550)

BOTTOM RIGHT. Close-up of a cuticular hair shaft on an abdominal sternite. The fluted nature of the side wall is not artifactual, although the "blebs" on the shaft wall may be debris. (x 550)