A comparison of volatiles in mandibular glands from three Crematogaster ant symbionts of the whistling thorn acacia
Abstract
GC-MS analyses of dichloromethane extracts of the mandibular glands from three coexisting Crematogaster species, C. mimosae, C. nigriceps, and C. sjostedti, showed distinct differences in the 28 volatile compounds that were identified. The variations of gland components in these ant species may facilitate species identification and lead to species-specific alarm and defence responses that influence their competitive interactions. 3-Hexanol, 3-methylbutanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-octanone, 3-octanol, phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylpropenal, and 3-decanone were found in all three species. The mandibular glands of C. nigriceps contain 7 compounds not detected in the two other species; 3-methyl-2-pentanone, 3-methyl-2-pentanol, 3-methyl-2-hexanol, 3-methyl-2-heptanone, 3-methyl-2-heptanol, 2-phenylethanol and 2-methylheptanoic acid. C. sjostedti's mandibular gland secretion also contains 7 compounds not detected in the other two species; butanoic acid, 3-heptanol, 2-methylpentanoic acid, glycerol, 6-methyl-3-octanol, 2-pyrrolidinone and 3-nonanol. Nonanal was the only compound detected solely in extracts of C. mimosae.
- Publication:
-
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- DOI:
- 10.1016/S0305-1978(01)00099-0
- Bibcode:
- 2002BioSE..30..217W
- Keywords:
-
- Crematogaster mimosae;
- C. nigriceps;
- C. sjostedti;
- Hymenoptera;
- Formicidae;
- Acacia drepanolobium;
- Whistling thorn acacia;
- Mandibular gland;
- Alarm pheromone