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Comparative chemical analysis of army ant mandibular gland volatiles (Formicidae: Dorylinae)

Brückner, Adrian ; Hoenle, Philipp O. ; von Beeren, Christoph (2018)
Comparative chemical analysis of army ant mandibular gland volatiles (Formicidae: Dorylinae).
In: PeerJ, 2018
Article, Secondary publication

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Item Type: Article
Type of entry: Secondary publication
Title: Comparative chemical analysis of army ant mandibular gland volatiles (Formicidae: Dorylinae)
Language: English
Date: 2018
Place of Publication: Darmstadt
Year of primary publication: 2018
Journal or Publication Title: PeerJ
Series Volume: 6
Corresponding Links:
Origin: Secondary publication via sponsored Golden Open Access
Abstract:

Army ants are keystone species in many tropical ecosystems. Yet, little is known about the chemical compounds involved in army ant communication. In the present study, we analyzed the volatile mandibular gland secretions—triggers of ant alarm responses—of six Neotropical army ant species of the genus Eciton (outgroup: Nomamyrmex esenbeckii). Using solid-phase microextraction, we identified 12 chemical compounds, primarily ketones with associated alcohols, one ester and skatole. Most compounds were shared among species, but their relative composition was significantly different. By comparing chemical distances of mandibular gland secretions to species divergence times, we showed that the secretions’ compositions are not strictly determined by phylogeny. By identifying chemical bouquets of seven army ant species, our study provides a valuable comparative resource for future studies aiming to unveil the chemicals’ precise role in army ant alarm communication.

URN: urn:nbn:de:tuda-tuprints-76480
Classification DDC: 500 Science and mathematics > 570 Life sciences, biology
Divisions: 10 Department of Biology
Date Deposited: 31 Jul 2018 09:29
Last Modified: 13 Dec 2022 08:53
URI: https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/id/eprint/7648
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