Trail pheromone of the antTetramorium impurum and model compounds: Structure-activity comparisons

Morgan, E. David; Jackson, Brian D.; Ollett, D. G.; Sales, G W

doi:10.1007/bf00982113

Cited by 24 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Also outstanding for its unusual pattern of occurrence in nature, this compound has never been reported from plants other than AG seeds. It is, however, a common metabolite of fungi and insects, particularly as a semiochemical of ants (21)(22)(23)(24). It is a trail pheromone in two myrmicine species, elicits alarm or stinging behavior in two ponerine species, and is a component of queen sex pheromone in the formicine Polyergus rufescens.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed odor mediates an obligate ant–plant mutualism in Amazonian rainforests

Youngsteadt

Nojima²,

Häberlein³

et al. 2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Seed dispersal mutualisms are essential for the survival of diverse plant species and communities worldwide. Among invertebrates, only ants have a major role in seed dispersal, and thousands of plant species produce seeds specialized for ant dispersal in ''diffuse'' multispecies interactions. An outstanding but poorly understood ant-seed mutualism occurs in the Amazonian rainforest, where arboreal ants collect seeds of several epiphyte species and cultivate them in nutrient-rich nests, forming abundant and conspicuous hanging gardens known as ant-gardens (AGs). AG ants and plants are dominant members of lowland Amazonian ecosystems, and their interaction is both specific and obligate, but the means by which ants locate, recognize, and accept their mutualist seeds while rejecting other seeds is unknown. Here we address the chemical and behavioral basis of the AG interaction. We show that workers of the AG ant Camponotus femoratus are attracted to odorants emanating from seeds of the AG plant Peperomia macrostachya, and that chemical cues also elicit seed-carrying behavior. We identify five compounds from P. macrostachya seeds that, as a blend, attract C. femoratus workers. This report of attractive odorants from ant-dispersed seeds illustrates the intimacy and complexity of the AG mutualism and begins to illuminate the chemical basis of this important and enigmatic interaction.seed dispersal ͉ ant-garden ͉ myrmecochory ͉ Camponotus femoratus ͉ Peperomia macrostachya S eed dispersal mutualisms play an essential role in community regeneration and species survival (1-3). Myrmecochory, or seed dispersal by ants, occurs in some 3,000 plant species in over 80 families worldwide, and it is generally a diffuse multispecies interaction mediated by seed-borne nutritional rewards called elaiosomes that are rich in proteins and lipids (4). Ants carry these seeds to their nests, consume the elaiosomes, and abandon the seeds with enhanced prospects for survival and germination (4). Behavioral assays and chemical analyses indicate that ant preference for elaiosomes is mediated by characteristic nonvolatile lipids, especially 1,2-diolein, that are more typical of insect prey than of seeds (5, 6). Myrmecochory is best described in temperate mesic forests and fire-dominated ecosystems, where it can be vital to community organization (1, 4).Tropical ant-seed interactions, on the other hand, are poorly understood, despite the fact that ants are the most common animals in tropical moist forests (7,8), where they play important roles in seed dispersal and viability (9-11). In the tropics, ant-dispersed seeds may lack discrete nutritional rewards, or be collected independently of them (11-13). Such seeds are best known from the Neotropical ant-gardens (AGs), an ant-plant mutualism that occurs throughout lowland Amazonia. At least two ant species are obligate gardeners that retrieve seeds of AG epiphytes (but not other seeds), embed them in arboreal carton nests, and depend on the resulting plants for nest integrity (Fig. 1) (11-13). T...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed odor mediates an obligate ant–plant mutualism in Amazonian rainforests

Youngsteadt

Nojima²,

Häberlein³

et al. 2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…Myrmica rubra L. workers responded actively to a synthetic pheromone concentration ranging from 10⎯²-10²ng per 30 cm trail (one poison gland produced 508 ng 3-ethyle-2,5dimthylepyrazine), whereas at concentrations lower than 10⎯²ng, the workers had difficulty detecting the trail. Morgan et al (1990) found that the highest activity in T. impurum Foerster was at a concentration of 0.1 poison gland equivalent / 30 cm trail. The activity decreased at a concentration of 1 and 0.01 poison gland / 30 cm trail and subsequently completely disappeared at the concentration of 0.001 gland.…”

Section: Optimum Dosementioning

confidence: 94%

“…Morgan et al (1990) stated that T. impurum Foerster used methyl-2-hydroxy-6-methylbenzoate (methyl 6-methyl salicylate) as a trail pheromone secreted from the poison gland. Morgan et al (2004) identified (R)-2-dodecanol as the major component of the trail pheromone secreted from the tibial gland of the ant C. castanea.…”

Section: Trail Pheromone Structuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trail Pheromones in Pest Control

Mashaly¹,

Ali²,

Al‐Khalifa³

2012

New Perspectives in Plant Protection

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“…Iridomyrmex humilis (Cavill et al 1979(Cavill et al , 1980Van Vorhis Key & Baker 1982a,b) Tetramorium impurum (Morgan & Ollett 1987;Morgan et al 1990) Lasius juliginosus (Huwyler et al 1975) Pristomyrmex pungens (Hayashi & Komae 1977)…”

Section: Alarm Pheromonesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Insect chemical communication: Pheromones and exocrine glands of ants

Jackson

Morgan

1993

Chemoecology

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Summary. Chemical communication plays a very important role in the lives of many social insects. Several different types of pheromones (species-specific chemical messengers) of ants have been described, particularly those involved in recruitment, recognition, territorial and alarm behaviours. Properties of pheromones include activity in minute quantities (thus requiring sensitive methods for chemical analysis) and specificity (which can have chemotaxonomic uses). Ants produce pheromones in various exocrine glands, such as the Dufour, poison, pygidial and mandibular glands. A wide range of substances have been identified from these glands.

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Trail pheromone of the antTetramorium impurum and model compounds: Structure-activity comparisons

Cited by 24 publications

References 24 publications

Seed odor mediates an obligate ant–plant mutualism in Amazonian rainforests

Seed odor mediates an obligate ant–plant mutualism in Amazonian rainforests

Trail Pheromones in Pest Control

Insect chemical communication: Pheromones and exocrine glands of ants

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