Response function cont

The multifaceted function of cuticular hydrocarbons necessitates further theoretical as well as empirical clarification. For example, their use as both fertility signals and nest-mate recognition pheromones may seem contradictory, since the first function requires within-nest idiosyncrasy, i.e., for discriminating fertile from sterile individuals, while the second function requires within-colony odor uniformity. The response threshold hypothesis (Le Conte and Hefetz, 2008) attempts to resolve this apparent conflict in function, as well as to provide a suitable framework for future experiments to test specific parts of the hypothesis. 

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