article published yes Sylvia Cremer author 2F64EC8C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0002-2193-3868 Matthew Sledge author Jürgen Heinze author Males of the tropical ant Cardiocondyla obscurior are either wingless and aggressive or winged and docile, and both compete for access to virgin queens in the nest1, 2. Although the fighter males (ergatoids) attack and kill other ergatoids, they tolerate and even attempt to mate with their winged rivals. Here we show that the winged males avoid the aggression of wingless males by mimicking the chemical bouquet of virgin queens, but that their mating success is not reduced as a result. This example of female mimicry by vigorous males is surprising, as in other species it is typically used as a protective strategy by weaker males, and may explain the coexistence and equal mating success of two male morphs. Nature Publishing Group2002 eng 0028-0836 1241030010.1038/419897a 419897 - 897 yes Cremer, Sylvia, et al. “Chemical Mimicry: Male Ants Disguised by the Queen’s Bouquet.” <i>Nature</i>, vol. 419, Nature Publishing Group, 2002, pp. 897–897, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/419897a">10.1038/419897a</a>. Cremer, S., Sledge, M., &#38; Heinze, J. (2002). Chemical mimicry: Male ants disguised by the queen’s bouquet. <i>Nature</i>. Nature Publishing Group. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/419897a">https://doi.org/10.1038/419897a</a> S. Cremer, M. Sledge, and J. Heinze, “Chemical mimicry: Male ants disguised by the queen’s bouquet,” <i>Nature</i>, vol. 419. Nature Publishing Group, pp. 897–897, 2002. Cremer S, Sledge M, Heinze J. 2002. Chemical mimicry: Male ants disguised by the queen’s bouquet. Nature. 419, 897–897. Cremer S, Sledge M, Heinze J. Chemical mimicry: Male ants disguised by the queen’s bouquet. <i>Nature</i>. 2002;419:897-897. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/419897a">10.1038/419897a</a> S. Cremer, M. Sledge, J. Heinze, Nature 419 (2002) 897–897. Cremer, Sylvia, Matthew Sledge, and Jürgen Heinze. “Chemical Mimicry: Male Ants Disguised by the Queen’s Bouquet.” <i>Nature</i>. Nature Publishing Group, 2002. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/419897a">https://doi.org/10.1038/419897a</a>. 39252018-12-11T12:05:55Z2023-06-13T11:47:19Z