{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T12:32:27Z","timestamp":1791894747045,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":90,"publisher":"The Royal Society","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,12]],"date-time":"2024-04-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1712880000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,12]],"date-time":"2024-04-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1712880000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["470833544"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["470833544"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["royalsocietypublishing.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Interface Focus."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Leafcutter ant colonies are divided into castes with the individuals performing different tasks, based mostly on size. With the mandibles, the small minims care for the brood or the fungus, whereas the larger minors and mediae cut and transport plant material, with the ant size positively related to the material size. The mechanical properties and composition of the mandible cuticle have been previously tested in the soldiers as the largest caste, revealing that the cutting edges contained high contents of the cross-linking transition metal zinc (Zn). With regard to the smaller castes, no data are present. To study how the mandible size and function relates to its mechanical properties, we here tested the mandibles of minims, minors and mediae by nanoindentation. We found that the hardness (H) and Young's modulus (E) values increased with increasing ant size and that the mandible cutting edges in each caste have the highest H- and E-values. To gain insight into the origins of these properties, we characterized the elemental composition by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, revealing that minors and mediae possessed higher content of Zn in the cutting edges in contrast to the minims containing significantly less Zn. This shows, that Zn content relates to higher mechanical property values. Additionally, it shows that all of these parameters can differ within a single species.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1098\/rsfs.2023.0048","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,11]],"date-time":"2024-04-11T23:05:17Z","timestamp":1712876717000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":28,"title":["Mandible elemental composition and mechanical properties from distinct castes of the leafcutter ant\n            <i>Atta laevigata<\/i>\n            (Attini; Formicidae)"],"prefix":"10.1098","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Valentin","family":"Birkenfeld","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universit\u00e4t zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1\u20139, 24118 Kiel, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9712-7953","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Stanislav N.","family":"Gorb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universit\u00e4t zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1\u20139, 24118 Kiel, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2158-9806","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Wencke","family":"Krings","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universit\u00e4t zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1\u20139, 24118 Kiel, Germany"},{"name":"Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, Universit\u00e4t Leipzig, Liebigstra\u00dfe 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany"},{"name":"Department of Electron Microscopy, Institute of Cell and Systems Biology of Animals, Universit\u00e4t Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany"},{"name":"Department of Mammalogy and Palaeoanthropology, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"175","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_8_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/4795"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rsif.2021.0424"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_4_2","first-page":"133","article-title":"Comparative analysis of worker head anatomy of Formica and Brachyponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)","volume":"78","author":"Richter A","year":"2020","unstructured":"Richter A, Hita Garcia F, Keller RA, Billen J, Economo EP, Beutel RG. 2020 Comparative analysis of worker head anatomy of Formica and Brachyponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Arthropod Syst. Phyl. 78, 133-170.","journal-title":"Arthropod Syst. Phyl."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/azo.12291"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chowdhury R Rastogi N. 2021 Comparative analysis of mandible morphology in four ant species with different foraging and nesting habits. bioRxiv. (doi:10.1101\/2021.08.26.457866)","DOI":"10.1101\/2021.08.26.457866"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.245140"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rspb.2023.0355"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rsif.2021.0318"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ece3.10162"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-43944-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00265-003-0746-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/PL00001734"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1201\/9780429038266-2","volume-title":"Fire ants and leaf-cutting ants","author":"Cherrett JM","year":"2019","unstructured":"Cherrett JM. 2019 History of the leaf-cutting ant problem. In Fire ants and leaf-cutting ants (ed. SL Clifford), pp. 10-17. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00366656"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00359-020-01423-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_17_2","first-page":"1","article-title":"Caste and ecology in the social insects","volume":"12","author":"Oster GF","year":"1978","unstructured":"Oster GF, Wilson EO. 1978 Caste and ecology in the social insects. Monogr. Popul. Biol. 12, 1-354.","journal-title":"Monogr. Popul. Biol."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_18_2","first-page":"119","article-title":"The ecology and evolution of worker size-distribution in leaf-cutting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)","volume":"34","author":"Wetterer JK","year":"1999","unstructured":"Wetterer JK. 1999 The ecology and evolution of worker size-distribution in leaf-cutting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 34, 119-144.","journal-title":"Sociobiology"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_19_2","first-page":"1","article-title":"Herbivory of leaf-cutting ants. A case study on Atta colombica in the tropical rainforest of panama","volume":"164","author":"Wirth R","year":"2002","unstructured":"Wirth R, Herz H, Ryel RJ, Beyschlag W, H\u00f6lldobler B. 2002 Herbivory of leaf-cutting ants. A case study on Atta colombica in the tropical rainforest of panama. Ecol. Stud. 164, 1-233.","journal-title":"Ecol. Stud."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00299520"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1006\/anbe.1996.0126"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.asd.2004.05.006"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/scientificamerican0786-104"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00114-007-0288-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actbio.2019.12.013"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-019-13978-6"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2022.135336"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_28_2","first-page":"123","article-title":"Ant cuticle microsculpturing: diversity, classification, and evolution","volume":"33","author":"Hellenbrand JP","year":"2023","unstructured":"Hellenbrand JP, Penick CA. 2023 Ant cuticle microsculpturing: diversity, classification, and evolution. Myrmecol. News. 33, 123-138.","journal-title":"Myrmecol. News."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.101.1.333"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00114-008-0346-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.098228"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-019-56203-6"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.244220"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmbbm.2020.104027"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_35_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00435-023-00609-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_36_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pmatsci.2017.04.013"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_37_2","first-page":"287","volume-title":"Architectured materials in nature and engineering. Springer Series in Materials Science","author":"Politi Y","year":"2019","unstructured":"Politi Y, Bar-On B, Fabritius HO. 2019 Mechanics of arthropod cuticle-versatility by structural and compositional variation. In Architectured materials in nature and engineering. Springer Series in Materials Science, vol. 282 (eds Y Estrin, Y Br\u00e9chet, J Dunlop, P Fratzl), pp. 287-327. Cham, Switzerland: Springer."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_38_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/bi049380h"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_39_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0702034104"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_40_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/bm800200a"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_41_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.201200063"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_42_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/anie.201404272"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_43_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/aesa\/87.6.918"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_44_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1359-835X(02)00167-7"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_45_2","first-page":"259","article-title":"Discovery of calcium enrichment in cutting teeth of parasitic wasp ovipositors (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea)","volume":"12","author":"Quicke DLJ","year":"2004","unstructured":"Quicke DLJ, Palmer-Wilson J, Burrough A, Broad JR. 2004 Discovery of calcium enrichment in cutting teeth of parasitic wasp ovipositors (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea). Afr. Entomol. 12, 259-264.","journal-title":"Afr. Entomol."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_46_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11829-018-9641-x"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_47_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-019-12616-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_48_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1006\/cbir.1993.1125"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_49_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00114-002-0381-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_50_2","first-page":"285","article-title":"Elementsensitive Synchrotron-Mikrotomographie zur Darstellung von Zinkeinlagerungen in den Mandibeln ausgew\u00e4hlter Insekten","volume":"17","author":"Dieterich A","year":"2009","unstructured":"Dieterich A, Betz O. 2009 Elementsensitive Synchrotron-Mikrotomographie zur Darstellung von Zinkeinlagerungen in den Mandibeln ausgew\u00e4hlter Insekten. Mitt. Dtsch. Ges. allg. Angew. Ent. 17, 285-288.","journal-title":"Mitt. Dtsch. Ges. allg. Angew. Ent."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_51_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S1431927622005505"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_52_2","unstructured":"Smith F. 1858. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part VI. Formicidae. London: British Museum."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_53_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1590\/1980-5373-mr-2016-1137"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_54_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00265-010-1098-6"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_55_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rspb.2008.0024"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_56_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12983-022-00465-w"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_57_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00114-022-01822-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_58_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actbio.2011.04.004"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_59_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3762\/bjnano.13.33"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_60_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/admi.202200766"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_61_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00339-021-04439-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_62_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-021-91795-y"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_63_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.02065"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_64_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0222116"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_65_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.202000400"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_66_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ma14030559"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_67_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.203.19.2933"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_68_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/bm1009156"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_69_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0043411"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_70_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matlet.2013.01.110"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_71_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1557\/jmr.2013.243"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_72_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actbio.2017.08.013"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_73_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rsos.221066"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_74_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.en.37.010192.001421"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_75_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ibmb.2009.10.007"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_76_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ncomms2576"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_77_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0022-474X(84)90020-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_78_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1006\/cbir.1998.0166"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_79_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1096-3642.1998.tb00583.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_80_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-474X(02)00019-X"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_81_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.asd.2016.07.001"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_82_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s13127-020-00448-x"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_83_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/evo.14201"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_84_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/biology12020207"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_85_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780195084344.003.0009"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_86_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/ae\/51.1.45"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_87_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1632658100"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_88_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cbic.200600160"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_89_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.96.1.45"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_90_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/aesa\/sax035"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_91_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Birkenfeld V Gorb SN Krings W. 2024 Mandible elemental composition and mechanical properties from distinct castes of the leafcutter ant Atta laevigata (Attini; Formicidae). Figshare. (doi:10.6084\/m9.figshare.c.7020905)","DOI":"10.1098\/rsfs.2023.0048"}],"container-title":["Interface Focus"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1098\/rsfs.2023.0048","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1098\/rsfs.2023.0048","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1098\/rsfs.2023.0048","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,15]],"date-time":"2024-04-15T10:18:00Z","timestamp":1713176280000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/doi\/10.1098\/rsfs.2023.0048"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,12]]},"references-count":90,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,12]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1098\/rsfs.2023.0048"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsfs.2023.0048","relation":{},"ISSN":["2042-8901"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2042-8901","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,12]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2023-10-09","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2023-12-18","order":1,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2024-04-12","order":2,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"20230048"}}