Occurrence and structural organization of the exocrine glands in the legs of ants

Apart from their obvious locomotory function and hence the presence of muscle fibres, ant legs are also endowed with an astonishing variety of exocrine glands. This paper reviews the presence and structural variety of the 20 different glands that have so far been found in the legs of ants. Four of these glands are described for the first time in this paper. Glands have been described in the three leg pairs, although considerable differences may exist. Glands occur in the various leg segments. A number of glands, especially those located in the hindlegs, may have a function in the production of trail pheromones. Other possible functions that have been reported deal with antenna cleaning, production of lubricant substances and sex pheromones.