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J Insect Physiol

Title:		"Chemical and behavioural studies of the trail-following pheromone in the leaf-cutting ant Atta opaciceps, Borgmeier (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)"
Author(s):		Campos Rda S; Mendonca Ade L; Cabral CR; Vanickova L; do Nascimento RR;
Address:		"Laboratorio de Ecologia Quimica, Instituto de Quimica e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio, AL, Brazil. Laboratorio de Ecologia Quimica, Instituto de Quimica e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio, AL, Brazil; Departamento de Ciencias Exatas e Naturais, Centro Universitario Tiradentes, Maceio, AL, Brazil. Electronic address: adrianapnpd@pq.cnpq.br. Departamento de Estatistica, Faculdade de Nutricao, Instituto de Ciencias da Saude, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio, AL, Brazil. Laboratorio de Ecologia Quimica, Instituto de Quimica e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio, AL, Brazil; Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry ASCR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2, CZ-166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic"
Journal Title:		J Insect Physiol
Year:		2016
Volume:		20151221
Issue:
Page Number:		25 - 31
DOI:		10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.12.008
ISSN/ISBN:		1879-1611 (Electronic) 0022-1910 (Linking)
Abstract:		"To understand the significance of the trail pheromone used in chemical communication of the leaf-cutting ants Atta opaciceps we investigated, under laboratory conditions, the trail-following behaviour of different castes. We observed a clear behavioural discrimination of conspecific venom gland extract of foraging ants from those of other species. Additionally, we determined the pheromone composition of A. opaciceps venom gland secretion using a two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Chemical analyses revealed the presence of three nitrogen-containing compounds, identified as 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine and methyl 4-methylpyrrole-2-carboxylate (M4MPC). Four different bioassays performed with workers from different castes of A. opaciceps suggested that the trail pheromone elicits the trail-following behaviour in conspecifics of all castes, but the foragers respond more strongly to their own pheromone than to that of other castes (gardeners, generalists and soldiers). In addition, A. opaciceps foragers follow the trails made with the venom gland extracts of the unrelated Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus foragers as well as they follow the trails made with their own venom gland extract. M4MPC was identified to be the most abundant and the most behaviourally active component of the venom gland extract of A. opaciceps foragers"
Keywords:		"Animals *Ants *Behavior, Animal *Pheromones Leaf-cutting ants Atta sp.Trail pheromone Two-dimensional gas chromatography Venom gland;"
Notes:		"MedlineCampos, Rousseau da Silva Mendonca, Adriana de Lima Cabral, Cyro Rego Jr Vanickova, Lucie Do Nascimento, Ruth Rufino eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2016/01/01 J Insect Physiol. 2016 Mar; 86:25-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.12.008. Epub 2015 Dec 21"