N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine, two pheromones of the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens (Fab.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Edelgard Janssen; Hans J. Bestmann; Bert Hölldobler; Friedrich Kern

doi:10.1007/BF02033854

N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine, two pheromones of the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens (Fab.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Edelgard Janssen, Hans J. Bestmann, Bert Hölldobler, Friedrich Kern

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

By means of gas chromatographic, mass spectrometric, and micro-preparative methods N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine were identified as two ethologically active compounds in the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens. The synthesized poison gland compound N,N-dimethyluracil released trail-following behavior, whereas actinidine, found in the pygidial gland, stimulated ants to leave the nest, possibly in an alarm reaction. Biological activity of the synthetic samples were confirmed by behavioral experiments and electroantennogram responses with worker antennae.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1947-1955
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Chemical Ecology
Volume	21
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02033854
State	Published - Dec 1995
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

1,3-dimethyl-2,4(1 H,3 H)-pyrimidinedione
Formicidae
Megaponera foetens
N,N-dimethyluracil
actinidine
electroantennogram
poison gland
pygidial gland
recruitment pheromone
trail pheromone

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Biochemistry

Access to Document

10.1007/BF02033854

Cite this

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title = "N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine, two pheromones of the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens (Fab.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)",

abstract = "By means of gas chromatographic, mass spectrometric, and micro-preparative methods N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine were identified as two ethologically active compounds in the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens. The synthesized poison gland compound N,N-dimethyluracil released trail-following behavior, whereas actinidine, found in the pygidial gland, stimulated ants to leave the nest, possibly in an alarm reaction. Biological activity of the synthetic samples were confirmed by behavioral experiments and electroantennogram responses with worker antennae.",

keywords = "1,3-dimethyl-2,4(1 H,3 H)-pyrimidinedione, Formicidae, Megaponera foetens, N,N-dimethyluracil, actinidine, electroantennogram, poison gland, pygidial gland, recruitment pheromone, trail pheromone",

author = "Edelgard Janssen and Bestmann, {Hans J.} and Bert H{\"o}lldobler and Friedrich Kern",

year = "1995",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1007/BF02033854",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "21",

pages = "1947--1955",

journal = "Journal of Chemical Ecology",

issn = "0098-0331",

publisher = "Springer New York",

number = "12",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine, two pheromones of the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens (Fab.) (Hymenoptera

T2 - Formicidae)

AU - Janssen, Edelgard

AU - Bestmann, Hans J.

AU - Hölldobler, Bert

AU - Kern, Friedrich

PY - 1995/12

Y1 - 1995/12

N2 - By means of gas chromatographic, mass spectrometric, and micro-preparative methods N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine were identified as two ethologically active compounds in the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens. The synthesized poison gland compound N,N-dimethyluracil released trail-following behavior, whereas actinidine, found in the pygidial gland, stimulated ants to leave the nest, possibly in an alarm reaction. Biological activity of the synthetic samples were confirmed by behavioral experiments and electroantennogram responses with worker antennae.

AB - By means of gas chromatographic, mass spectrometric, and micro-preparative methods N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine were identified as two ethologically active compounds in the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens. The synthesized poison gland compound N,N-dimethyluracil released trail-following behavior, whereas actinidine, found in the pygidial gland, stimulated ants to leave the nest, possibly in an alarm reaction. Biological activity of the synthetic samples were confirmed by behavioral experiments and electroantennogram responses with worker antennae.

KW - 1,3-dimethyl-2,4(1 H,3 H)-pyrimidinedione

KW - Formicidae

KW - Megaponera foetens

KW - N,N-dimethyluracil

KW - actinidine

KW - electroantennogram

KW - poison gland

KW - pygidial gland

KW - recruitment pheromone

KW - trail pheromone

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SP - 1947

EP - 1955

JO - Journal of Chemical Ecology

JF - Journal of Chemical Ecology

SN - 0098-0331

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ER -

N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine, two pheromones of the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens (Fab.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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