6533b874fe1ef96bd12d6257
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Sex pheromone identified after solid phase microextraction from tergal glands of female alates in Cornitermes bequaerti (Isoptera, Nasutitermitinae)
Etienne SémonChristian BordereauB. QuennedeyAnnie CourrentEliana M. Cancellosubject
0106 biological sciencesCornitermes bequaerti[SPI.GPROC] Engineering Sciences [physics]/Chemical and Process EngineeringSwarming (honey bee)ZoologyAlateAnatomyBiology[SDV.IDA] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Food engineeringSolid-phase microextraction010603 evolutionary biology01 natural sciencesAttraction010602 entomologyCellular originInsect ScienceSex pheromone[SDV.IDA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Food engineering[SPI.GPROC]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Chemical and Process EngineeringEcology Evolution Behavior and SystematicsComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUSdescription
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.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-08-01 |