Comparative chemical analysis of army ant mandibular gland volatiles (Formicidae: Dorylinae)

PeerJ

article

Adrian Brückner¹  Philipp O. Hoenle¹  Christoph von Beeren¹ 

[1] Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt;Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology

关键词: Neotropics;    Biochemical systematics;    Chemical ecology;    Ecitonini;    Volatile organic compounds;    Pheromones;    Eciton burchellii;    Alarm response;    Chemical communication;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.5319

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Army ants are keystone species in many tropical ecosystems. Yet, little is known about the chemical compounds involved in army ant communication. In the present study, we analyzed the volatile mandibular gland secretions—triggers of ant alarm responses—of six Neotropical army ant species of the genus Eciton (outgroup: Nomamyrmex esenbeckii). Using solid-phase microextraction, we identified 12 chemical compounds, primarily ketones with associated alcohols, one ester and skatole. Most compounds were shared among species, but their relative composition was significantly different. By comparing chemical distances of mandibular gland secretions to species divergence times, we showed that the secretions’ compositions are not strictly determined by phylogeny. By identifying chemical bouquets of seven army ant species, our study provides a valuable comparative resource for future studies aiming to unveil the chemicals’ precise role in army ant alarm communication.

【 授权许可】

CC BY