D3168: The effects of melatonin on locomotion and circadian rhythm in Camponotus floridanus

Melatonin is a hormone responsible for regulating an organism’s biological clock located in their brain and exogenous melatonin can alter their sleep-wake cycle. Previous studies conducted on invertebrates found that exogenous melatonin impairs their locomotion (Yamano et al., 2001). However, the effect of melatonin on invertebrate species, specifically ants, has been rarely explored. We aimed to study the relationship between melatonin and ant locomotion and the role melatonin plays in ant circadian rhythm. We administered melatonin, Ramelteon, a melatonin agonist, and Luzindole, a melatonin antagonist, to different groups of Camponotus floridanus to explore the impact of exogenous melatonin on ants. We found that exogenous melatonin decreased the locomotion of ants and decreased the total distance traveled by ants. The administration of melatonin also had a differential effect on ants at different light cycles. These results create implications on the division of labor among ants.