Nestmate Recognition and the Role of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in the African Termite Raiding Ant Pachycondyla analis
Nestmate Recognition and the Role of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in the African Termite Raiding Ant Pachycondyla analis
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非洲白蚁袭击蚁 Pachycondyla analis 中的同窝识别和角质层碳氢化合物的作用
DOI：
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发表时间：
2010
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
B. Torto
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
A. Yusuf;C. Pirk;R. Crewe;P. Njagi;I. Gordon;B. Torto
角质层碳氢化合物（CHCs）是许多蚂蚁物种中用于巢内成员之间化学通讯的物质，它们可能在识别巢内成员和非巢内成员中发挥作用。利用下颌骨开放反应（莫尔）生物测定法，我们测试了非洲白蚁袭击蚂蚁，Pachycondyla analis，CHC提取物的巢和非巢。蚂蚁能够区分控制化学线索，从巢CHCs，和非巢CHCs，并根据CHC识别阈值，侵略证明对非巢。气相色谱（GC）和GC-MS分析表明，不同蚁群的CHC组分的链长范围为C8 ~ C31，主要由正构烷烃、烯烃和甲基支链烷烃组成，其中正构烷烃在所有蚁群中的比例相同。利用CHC判别分析，成功地将蚂蚁按其群体来源进行了分组。我们证明，巢识别发生在P. analis，和一些线索涉及显然是烯烃和甲基支链烷烃。
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are used for chemical communication among nestmates in many ant species, and they may play a role in the discrimination of nestmates and non-nestmates. Using the mandible opening response (MOR) bioassay, we tested the response of the African termite raiding ant, Pachycondyla analis, to CHC extracts of nestmates and non-nestmates. The ants were able to distinguish control chemical cues, from nestmate CHCs, and from non-nestmate CHCs, and, based on a CHC recognition threshold, aggression was demonstrated toward non-nestmates. Gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometric analyses showed that CHC components of different ant colonies had chain lengths ranging from C8 to C31, comprising mainly n-alkanes, alkenes, and methyl branched alkanes, with the n-alkanes occurring in the same proportions among all colonies. The ants were grouped successfully according to their colonies of origin by using discriminant analysis of CHCs. We demonstrate that nestmate recognition occurs in P. analis, and that some of the cues involved are evidently alkenes and methyl-branched alkanes.