Cuticular hydrocarbons Reticulitermes flavipes

Howard, R.W., McDaniel, C.A. and Blomquist, G.J. (1978). Cuticular hydrocarbons of the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar)... 

C. (1990b). Cuticular hydrocarbons and defensive compounds of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and R. santonensis (Feytaud) Polymorphism and chemotaxonomy. J. Chem. Ecol., 16, 3213-3244. 

Constit. of the cuticular hydrocarbons of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes. Mp 56 . 

Reticulitermes virginicus and R.flavipes are two sympatric termite species with distinctly different cuticular hydrocarbons which function as species recognition cues. They also have different termitophilous cohorts which possess the same cuticular chemical substance as their host. Thus, R.flavipes is associated with Tricopsenius frostii while R. virginicus is associated with T. depressus, Xenistusa hexagonalis and Philotermes howardii (582-586). 

The host-specific staphylinid beetle Trichopsenius frosti has a blend of cuticular hydrocarbons that are identical to those of its host, Reticulitermes flavipes (Howard et al., 1978). The beetle grooms workers and rides on the back of female reproductives. This appears to be a case of chemical mimicry of the species-recognition pheromones of the host. 

PER 10a] Perdereau E., Dedeine F., Christides J.-P. et al, Variations in worker cuticular hydrocarbons and soldier isoprenoid defensive secretions within and among introduced and native populations of the subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes". Journal of Chemical Ecology, vol. 36, pp. 1189-1198, 2010. 

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