0000000000625309
AUTHOR
Sophie Connétable
Dispersal flight and colony development in the fungus-growing termites Pseudacanthotermes spiniger and P. militaris
International audience; Pseudacanthotermes spiniger and P. militaris are two African fungus-growing termites (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) which may become pests in disturbed agrosystems where they often live in sympatry. To study their development and their reproductive strategies, colonies of both species were reared in the laboratory for 20 and 17 years, respectively, after their foundation from reproductive pairs. The first steps of development were in great part similar in both species, although P. spiniger favoured the defence during the juvenile period, while P. militaris tended to favour a rapid development. While P. spiniger colonies did not produce alates until year 7 of colony li…
ChemInform Abstract: New Macrolactones from the Defensive Salivary Secretion of Soldiers of the African Termite Pseudacanthotermes spiniger.
The salivary defensive secretion of large soldier termites of the species Pseudacanthotermes spiniger contains two novel macrocyclic lactones [22-keto-hexacosanolide (2) and 2-hydroxy-24-keto-octacosanolide (3)] together with the already known macrolactone hexacosanolide (1). In addition, the secretion contains important amounts of a polysaccharide based mainly upon β-glucopyranose, β-glucosamine and N-acetyl-β-glucosamine in equal amount.
New macrolactones from the defensive salivary secretion of soldiers of the african termite Pseudacanthotermes spiniger
The salivary defensive secretion of large soldier termites of the species Pseudacanthotermes spiniger contains two novel macrocyclic lactones [22-keto-hexacosanolide (2) and 2-hydroxy-24-keto-octacosanolide (3)] together with the already known macrolactone hexacosanolide (1). In addition, the secretion contains important amounts of a polysaccharide based mainly upon β-glucopyranose, β-glucosamine and N-acetyl-β-glucosamine in equal amount.