Multicomponent alarm pheromones and defensive secretions of the African weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille),
Multicomponent alarm pheromones and defensive secretions of the African weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille),
A complex system of chemical alarm communication has been investigated in the African Weaver Ant Oecophylla longinoda, which reflects both division of labour between the major and minor worker castes, and the efficiency of co-operative aggression. The chemical signals originate in the mandibular glands, which in major workers initiate 'local attack', and the poison and Dufour's glands, deployed in a 'mass attack' reaction.Identification of the main components of each gland was achieved by the development of several microchemical techniques. The mandibular glands of major workers contain predominantly hexanal and 1-hexanol, together with their C8 and C9 homologues, and at least thirty trace components, of which two, 2-butyl-.2-octenal and 3-undecanone, are important stimuli in alarm communication. The poison gland contains formic acid, and Dufour's gland a series of saturated and unsaturated straight-chain hydrocarbons, of which the major component is n-undecane. Of the mandibular gland components, hexanal is alerting, 1-hexanol an attractant, and 2-butyl-2-octenal and 3-undecanone act as markers for attack. In combination, these components produce a sequential message in space and time, dependent on their relative proportions, volatilities, and threshold concentrations for behavioural responses.The mandibular glands of minor workers contain the same series of primary alcohols as majors, together with nerol and ger4niol, butthe aldehydes and biting markers are absent. While minor workers are- i -repelled by both 1-hexanol and nerol, major workers are attracted and arrested by high concentrations of the latter, forming a possible mechanism for communication within the nest. Formic acid and n-undecane elicit the 'mass attack' reation when presented together. The mixture is considerably more effective than either compound tested separately. The quantities of both main and trace components of the mandibular gland secretion of major workers vary between colonies collected from different areas of West Africa, and different responses to 2-butyl-2octenal have been noted between two such colonies. The heads of males contain large quantities of-a pungent secretion,II1 which may be used in defence. The main components are hexanoic,hexanoic, and octanoic acids, and two methyl esters.
University of Southampton
Bradshaw, John William Stephen
1975
Bradshaw, John William Stephen
Bradshaw, John William Stephen
(1975)
Multicomponent alarm pheromones and defensive secretions of the African weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille),.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
A complex system of chemical alarm communication has been investigated in the African Weaver Ant Oecophylla longinoda, which reflects both division of labour between the major and minor worker castes, and the efficiency of co-operative aggression. The chemical signals originate in the mandibular glands, which in major workers initiate 'local attack', and the poison and Dufour's glands, deployed in a 'mass attack' reaction.Identification of the main components of each gland was achieved by the development of several microchemical techniques. The mandibular glands of major workers contain predominantly hexanal and 1-hexanol, together with their C8 and C9 homologues, and at least thirty trace components, of which two, 2-butyl-.2-octenal and 3-undecanone, are important stimuli in alarm communication. The poison gland contains formic acid, and Dufour's gland a series of saturated and unsaturated straight-chain hydrocarbons, of which the major component is n-undecane. Of the mandibular gland components, hexanal is alerting, 1-hexanol an attractant, and 2-butyl-2-octenal and 3-undecanone act as markers for attack. In combination, these components produce a sequential message in space and time, dependent on their relative proportions, volatilities, and threshold concentrations for behavioural responses.The mandibular glands of minor workers contain the same series of primary alcohols as majors, together with nerol and ger4niol, butthe aldehydes and biting markers are absent. While minor workers are- i -repelled by both 1-hexanol and nerol, major workers are attracted and arrested by high concentrations of the latter, forming a possible mechanism for communication within the nest. Formic acid and n-undecane elicit the 'mass attack' reation when presented together. The mixture is considerably more effective than either compound tested separately. The quantities of both main and trace components of the mandibular gland secretion of major workers vary between colonies collected from different areas of West Africa, and different responses to 2-butyl-2octenal have been noted between two such colonies. The heads of males contain large quantities of-a pungent secretion,II1 which may be used in defence. The main components are hexanoic,hexanoic, and octanoic acids, and two methyl esters.
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Published date: 1975
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Local EPrints ID: 459812
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/459812
PURE UUID: 6fe9c83e-bcb5-4a30-b2c1-8c614ac91561
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 17:19
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 17:19
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Author:
John William Stephen Bradshaw
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