TY - JOUR
T1 - Mellein, a trail pheromone component of the ant Lasius fuliginosus
AU - Kern, Friedrich
AU - Klein, Rüdiger W.
AU - Janssen, Edelgard
AU - Bestmann, Hans Jürgen
AU - Attygalle, Athula B.
AU - Schäfer, Doris
AU - Maschwitz, Ulrich
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - 3,4-Dihydro-8-hydroxy-3-methylisocoumarin (mellein) and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one are among the volatile constituents identified from the hindgut of the formicine ant Lasius (Dendrolasius) fuliginosus Mellein induces trail-following behavior in worker ants of this species and evokes electrophysiological responses from their antennae. The trail-following activity released by (R)-(-)-mellein is significantly higher than that elicited by its (S)-(+) antipode, or the racemic mixture. The above mentioned pyranone is found also in the honeydew of aphids, the customary diet of this ant species. The pyranone also evokes some trail-following behavior, but its activity is far less pronounced than that of mellein. Apparently, extra pheromone components are present in the hindgut, since the activity of these two constituents, either individually or as a mixture, does not completely account for the total activity released by a hindgut extract containing similar amounts of these two compounds.
AB - 3,4-Dihydro-8-hydroxy-3-methylisocoumarin (mellein) and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one are among the volatile constituents identified from the hindgut of the formicine ant Lasius (Dendrolasius) fuliginosus Mellein induces trail-following behavior in worker ants of this species and evokes electrophysiological responses from their antennae. The trail-following activity released by (R)-(-)-mellein is significantly higher than that elicited by its (S)-(+) antipode, or the racemic mixture. The above mentioned pyranone is found also in the honeydew of aphids, the customary diet of this ant species. The pyranone also evokes some trail-following behavior, but its activity is far less pronounced than that of mellein. Apparently, extra pheromone components are present in the hindgut, since the activity of these two constituents, either individually or as a mixture, does not completely account for the total activity released by a hindgut extract containing similar amounts of these two compounds.
KW - 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydrox y-6-methyl-4-H-pyran-4-one
KW - 3,4-dihydro-8-hydroxyisocoumarin
KW - Ant
KW - Formicinae
KW - Lasius fuliginosus
KW - hindgut
KW - mellein
KW - trail pheromone
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U2 - 10.1023/B:JOEC.0000006410.35938.49
DO - 10.1023/B:JOEC.0000006410.35938.49
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0030917426
SN - 0098-0331
VL - 23
SP - 779
EP - 792
JO - Journal of Chemical Ecology
JF - Journal of Chemical Ecology
IS - 3
ER -