Sex pheromone identified after Solid Phase Microextraction from tergal glands of female alates in Cornitermes bequaerti (Isoptera, Nasutitermitinae)
For the first time, a termite sex pheromone secreted by tergal glands has been isolated and identified. In the mandibulate nasute termite Cornitermes bequaerti, pairing of swarming imagoes is mediated by a sex pheromone secreted by females from their tergal glands. These well developed sexual glands...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Insectes sociaux 2002-01, Vol.49 (3), p.209-215 |
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Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | For the first time, a termite sex pheromone secreted by tergal glands has been isolated and identified. In the mandibulate nasute termite Cornitermes bequaerti, pairing of swarming imagoes is mediated by a sex pheromone secreted by females from their tergal glands. These well developed sexual glands located in front of tergites 8, 9, 10 are essentially composed of class 1 and 2 cells, but also of some glandular units of class 3 cells. The major volatile compound of tergal secretion was isolated by solid phase microextraction (SPME) and identified by GC-MS as (3Z, 6Z, 8E)-dodecatrien-1-ol. Sex attraction bioassays with synthetic (3Z, 6Z, 8E)-dodecatrien-1-ol showed that this alcohol was the main component of the sex pheromone in C. bequaerti. The cellular origin and the key role of (3Z, 6Z, 8E)-dodecatrien-1-ol in the biology of termites are discussed. |
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ISSN: | 0020-1812 1420-9098 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00040-002-8303-1 |