Contents of dufour glands of workers of three species of Tetramorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

J. P.J. Billen, R. P. Evershed, A. B. Attygalle, E. D. Morgan, D. G. Ollett

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Dufour glands of worker ants of Tetramorium caespitum, and the morphologically similar T. impurum are filled with similar, but species-specific mixtures of linear hydrocarbons and three homologous sesquiterpene corhpounds. Glands of workers of T. caespitum contain, on average, 70 ng of oil containing C13 to C17 linear hydrocarbons with n-pentadecane (64%) and a mixture of pentadecenes (14%) as major components. T. impurum glands are smaller and contain an average of 40 ng of the same mixture but with n-pentadecane (49%) and a sesquiterpenoid compound (19%) the major components. Two isomeric pentadecenes, (Z)-6-pentadecene and (Z)-7-pentadecene are present in both species. T. semilaeve workers contain on average only 30 ng of a simple mixture of hydrocarbons with pentadecane contributing more than 90% of the total.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)669-685
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Chemical Ecology
Volume12
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1986

Keywords

  • Dufour gland
  • Formicidae
  • Hymenoptera
  • Tetramorium
  • ant
  • isomeric pentadecenes
  • pentadecane
  • sesquiterpene homologues

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