1976] Holldobler, Stanton, and Engel — Exocrine Gland 
39 
Figure 4. The SEM picture of the fourth tergite of a male of N. albisetosus. 
glandlike structure, which we call the ‘dorsal gland’, occupied 
the dorsal part of the gaster above the digestive tract. It varied in 
size, but often it extended from the posterior to the anterior end 
of the gaster and from side to side. It was composed of countless 
small round yellow globules apparently connected by what may 
be glandular tissue”. But then they write: “It is possible that what 
appeared to be glandular tissue was not that and the dorsal gland 
might be some type of fat body arrangement”. Our histological 
investigation did not reveal any glandular type which would fit the 
description of the ‘dorsal glands’. We believe that Vick et al. have 
indeed described the fat body tissue, but then it is hard to under- 
stand how the fat body can be mistaken for a new ‘dorsal gland’. 
Figure 3 (opposite) 
a) SEM picture of the gaster of a TV. albisetosus worker. The third tergite is slightly 
lifted and the net-like cup structure can be seen on the surface of the fourth tergite. 
b) Separated fourth tergite with the cup structure fully exposed. 
c) The SEM close up picture shows clearly the hexagonal cups. 
