Ponerine ants

The presence of a series of alkylamines and amides (114—120, 125—129) in the gasterothorax characterizes the two ponerine ants, Mesoponera species (Table VIII), which contain 3-isopentyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (20h) as the major exocrine compound in their heads (Table III). The major amine is V-isoamyl-V-nonylamine (114). These compounds are perhaps utilized as defensive compounds against selected predators (41). 

Twelve volatile acyclic amines and amides (114-120,125-129) (Table VIII) from ponerine ants in the genus Mesoponera have been identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and mass spectral comparison with authentic synthetic samples 41). The major aliphatic amine, A-isoamylnonylamine (114), shows a molecular ion at m/z 213, a-cleavage fragments at miz 156 (M — C4H9)... 

Haskins, . P. and Haskins, E. F. (1950). Notes on the biology and social behavior of the archaic ponerine ants of the genera Myrmeca and Promyrmeca. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 43 461 191. 

Passera, L., Lachaud, J. P. and Gomel, L. (1994). Individual food source fidelity in the neotropical ponerine ant Ectatomma ruidum Roger (Hymenoptera-Formicidae). Ethology Ecology and Evolution 6 13-21. 

Brent, C., Peeters, C., Dietmann, V., Crewe, R. and Vargo, E.D. (2006). Hormonal correlates of reproductive status in the queenless ponerine ant, Streblognathus peetersi. J. Comp. Physiol., 192A, 315-320. 

Soroker, V., Fresneau, D. and Hefetz, A. (1998). Formation of colony odor in ponerine ant Pachychondyla apicalis. J. Chem. Ecol., 24,1077-1090. 

H. saltator produces less pronounced qualitative differences. Other ponerine ants that are generally characterized by smaller colony sizes and limited queen-worker dimorphism (Peeters, 1993) only show quantitative differences in their cuticular hydrocarbon profiles between reproductives and non-reproductives. Gamergates in Gnamptogenys striatula differ from non-reproductive workers by having increased relative amounts of ten cuticular... 

Liebig, J. (1998). Eusociality, female caste dimorphism, and regulation of reproduction in the ponerine Ant Harpegnathos saltator Jerdon. Berlin Wissenschaft und Technik Verlag and doctoral thesis, University of Wurzburg. 

Peeters, C. (1993). Monogyny and polygyny in ponerine ants with or without queens. In Queen Number and Sociality in Insects, ed. L. Keller. New York Oxford University Press, pp. 234-261. 

Peeters, C., Liebig, J. and Holldobler, B. (2000). Sexual reproduction by both queens and workers in the ponerine ant Harpegnathos saltator. Insect. Soc., 47, 325-332. 

Howard, R.W., Perez-Lachaud, G. andLachaud, J.-P. (2001). Cuticular hydrocarbons of Kapala sulcifacies (Hymenoptera Eucharitidae) and its host, the ponerine ant Ectatomma ruidum (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am., 94,707-716. 

Jeral, J.M., Breed, M.D. and Hibbard, B.E. (1997). Thief ants have reduced quantities of cuticular compounds in a ponerines ant Ectatomma ruidum. Physiol. Entomol., 22, 207-211. 

Wheeler, J. W. and Blum, M. S. 1973. Alkylpyrazine alarm pheromones in ponerine ants. Science 182, 501-503... 

An example illustrating the enantioselective recognition capabilities of ants is provided by trad-following experiments with Ponerine ants Leptogenys ditni-nuta). Ifthe four diastereomers of 4-methylheptan-3-ol (5 ng/cm) are drawn out in circular arcs, the ants tenaciously follow only the trail of the (3H,4S)-diastereo-mer (Fig. 8.63). The concentration limit for (3R,4S)-4-methylheptan-3-ol lies at 50 fg/cm. 

The volatile secretions of ants have continued to receive much attention. Workers of the primitive ponerine ant Rhytidoponei a metallica contain, among other compounds, mellein (5), and their... 

In cases where the composition of the secretion is comparatively simple, a reasonably complete picture can be obtained. For example, several species of ponerine ants produce dimethyl alkyl pyrazines in their mandibular glands, and utilize these for alarm communication. Detailed study of the behavior of... 

HOlldobler, B. and Traniello, J. (1980b) Tandem running pheromone in ponerine ants. Naturwissenschaften, 67, 360. 

Longhurst, C., Baker, R., Howse, P. E. and Speed, W. S. (1978) Alkyl pyrazines in ponerine ants their presence in three genera, and caste-specific behavioural responses to them in Odontomachus troglodytes. J. Insect Physiol., 24, 833-7. 

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