Aphaenogaster ants

Actinidine (92), a plant alkaloid (see section 8), is also a minor component of the defence secretion of the Australian cock-tail ant Iridomyrmex nitidceps (G.W.K. Cavill et al.. Tetrahedron, 1982, 38, 1931), a fact which indicates that ants may obtain toxins (or at least their precursors) from dietary sources. Actinidine has been synthesised (M. Nitta, A. Sekiguchi and H. Koba, Chem.Letters, 1981, 933). Anabaseine (118), a dihydro derivative of anabasine a well known tobacco alkaloid, is present in the poison glands of Aphaenogaster ants for which it also an attractant (J.W. Wheeler et al.. Science, 1981, 211, 1051). Ants from Puerto Rico produce the simple tetrahydropyridine (119) (T.H. Jones, M.S. Blum and... 

Wheeler JW, Olubajo O, Storm CB, Duffield RM (1981) Anabaseine venom alkaloid of aphaenogaster ants. Science 211 1051-1052... 

Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) conjurata and some other thief ants contain indo-lizidines and/or piperidines (Tables I and II). (5Z,8 )-3-Heptyl-5-methylpyr-rolizidine (48) has also been shown to be contained in the thief ant Solenopsis xenovenenum (Table IV). The poison glands of Aphaenogaster fulva and A. tennesseensis contain the tobacco alkaloid anabaseine (8), which functions as an attractant in A. fulva (Table I) (26). 

The structure of anabaseine (8), isolated from ants of Aphaenogaster species (Table I), was established by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the H-... 

Seeds of the violet, Viola odorata are disseminated by the ant Aphaenogaster rudis. Elaiosomes (appendages attached to the outside of the seed coat) often contain high concentrations of lipids and are associated with attraction of the ants. 1,2-Diolein, a diglyceride, is largely responsible for this attraction (124). 

Lenoir A., Cuisset D. and Hefetz A. (2001a) Effects of social isolation on hydrocarbon pattern and nestmate recognition in the ant Aphaenogaster senilis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Insectes Soc. 48, 101-109. 

Lenoir, A., Hefetz, A., Simon, T. and Soroker, V. (2001). Comparative dynamics of gestalt odour formation in two ant species Camponotus fellah and Aphaenogaster senilis (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Physiol. Entomol., 26, 275-283. 

Greene, M. J. and Gordon, D.M. (2007). Structural complexity of chemical recognition cues affects the perception of group membership in the ants Linepithema humile and Aphaenogaster cockerelli. J. Exp. Biol., 210, 897-905. 

Nevertheless, studies that directly show a primer or releaser effect of these hydrocarbon profiles are needed to finally assess their importance. So far only one study, in the ant Aphaenogaster cockerelli (Smith et al., 2009), directly showed the involvement of... 

Holldobler, B. and Carlin, N. F. (1989). Colony founding, queen control and worker reproduction in the ant Aphaenogaster (= Novomessor) cockerelli (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Psyche, 96,131-151. 

Smith, A., Holldobler, B. and Liebig, J. (2008). Hydrocarbon signals explain the pattern of worker and egg policing in the ant Aphaenogaster cockerelli. J. Chem. Ecol., 34, 1275-1282. 

The 13C n.m.r. spectra of nicotine metabolites have been measured and discussed.39 The stereoselectivity of the iodomethylation of nicotine and seven analogues has been studied with the aid of 13C n.m.r. spectroscopy.40 Nicotine yields 2-methylnicotine as the major product when treated with methyl-lithium or methyl radicals, accompanied, as reported earlier, by 4- and 6-methylnicotine. Nicotine tV-oxide and methylmagnesium bromide afford 2- and 6-methyl-nicotines.41 Anabaseine (26), a well-known minor alkaloid of tobacco, has been identified as a poison-gland product in ants of the genus Aphaenogaster, which use it as an attractant.42... 

The mixture of AMsopentyl-2-phenylethylamine (Ar49), anabasine (neonicotine, Ar58), anabaseine (nor-nicotine, Ar59), and 2,3 bipyridyl (Ar60) constitutes the trail pheromone of the ant Aphaenogaster rudis245... 

Anabasine (= 3-(2- Alangium spp. (Alangiaceae), finnia elegans, Ant (Aphaenogaster) venom... 

Cavill, G.W.K., Williams, RT. Whitfield, F.B., 1967. a-famesene, Dufour s gland secretion in the ant Aphaenogaster Longiceps. Tetrahedron Lett, 12, 2201—2205,... 

Recently the sesquiterpene a-farnesene has been demonstrated to be a constituent of the secretion of Dufour s gland in the ant Aphaenogaster longiceps [736], while citral has been shown to serve as a recruiting pheromone when workers of the stingless bee, Lestrimelitta limao, attack the nests of other stingless bees [736 a]. 

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