Contents of the hypertrophied postpharyngeal gland of workers and soldiers of the fire ant Solenopsis geminata (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae)

Athula B. Attygalle, Gulab N. Jham, E. David Morgan

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Abstract

The postpharyngeal glands of Solenopsis geminata workers and soldiers contain a variable mixture of C20 to C35 hydrocarbons. The soldier caste have much larger glands and correspondingly more contents. The soldiers differ from workers in containing small amounts of polyunsaturated hydrocarbons and more branched alkanes, but the percentage composition of the workers from different colonies also shows considerable variation. (Z)-9-tricosene and tricosane are important components of all examples, but the major compound in five colonies examined varied from eicosane to (Z)-9-pentacosene.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)471-482
Number of pages12
JournalSociobiology
Volume47
Issue number2
StatePublished - 2006

Keywords

  • (Z)-9-pentacosene
  • (Z)-9-tricosene
  • Caste differences
  • Cuticular hydrocarbons
  • Diplorhoptrum
  • Soldier caste
  • Worker caste

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