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 | |
| 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
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Janssen, E., Bestmann, H. J., Hölldobler, B., & Kern, F. (1995). N,N-dimethyluracil and actinidine, two pheromones of the ponerine ant Megaponera foetens (Fab.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Chemical Ecology, 21(12), 1947-1955. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02033854