Termite soldiers defensive secretion

M.S. Collins Chemotaxonomy of Subulitermes and Nasutitermes Termite Soldiers Defense Secretions. Evidence Against the Hypothesis of Diphyletic Evolution of the Nasutitermitinae. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 9, 83-88 (1981). 

Prestwich, G. D., Collins, M. S. (1981) Chemotaxonomy of Subulitermes and Nasuth termes termite soldier defense secretions. Evidence against the hypothesis of diphyletic evolution of the Nasutitermitinae. Biochem, Syst. EcoL, 9, 83-8. 

Nelson, L. J., Cool, L.G., Forschler, B.T. and Haverty, M.I. (2001). Correspondence of soldier defense secretion mixtures with cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes for chemotaxonomy of the termite genus Reticulitermes in North America. J. Chem. Ecol., 21,1449-1479. 

Fig. 2. Detoxication of soldier defense secretions. Termite workers of Prorhino ermessm plex and Schedorhinotermes lamanianus have substrate-specific alkene reduc ases w ic, in the presence of a reduced cofactor, catalyze the reduction of the electron e laent double bond of the unsaturated electrophilic group. The alkanes are then ret c in vivo to acetate. (After Spanton, S.G. and G.D. Prestwich Chemical Self De ense y Termite Workers Prevention of Autotoxication in two Rhinotermitids. Science 4, 1363-1365 (1981))...

Prestwich, G.D. Chemical analysis of Soldier Defense Secretions of Several Species of East African Termites. In Ch. Noirot P.E. Howse and G. Lemasne eds.. Pheromones and Defensive Secretions in Social Insects, p. 149-152. Dijon I.U.S.S.I. 1975. 

ScHEFFRAHN, R.H., L.K. Gaston, W.L. Nutting, and M.K. Rust Chemical heterogeneity of Soldier Defensive Secretions in the Desert Subterranean Termite, Armitermes wheeleri. Biochem Syst. Ecol. 14, 661-664 (1986). 

Baker, R. and Walmsley, S. (1982) Soldier defense secretions of the South American termites Cortaritermes silvestri, Nasutitermes sp.n.D. and Nasutitermes kemneri. Tetrahedron, 38, 1899-910. 

The principal component of the defensive secretion of the termite soldiers Ancistrotermes cavithorax has been shown by spectroscopic methods and synthesis to be ancistrofuran (28). Further studies on the components of the defence secretion of the West African termite species Amitermes evuncifer have revealed the presence of the two bicyclic ethers (29) and (30) together with the... 

Isomeric cis-verbenol is an aggregation pheromone attractant for both the male and female insects of the species. The same author [105] published information concerning a defense secretion of the soldiers of the termites Nasutitermes nigriceps, N. Ephratae and Velocitermes velox from Peru). The enantiomeric compositions of a -pinene and limonene produced by three termite species are as follows ... 

A further group of trinervitene (126) diterpenoids have been isolated from the frontal glands of a termite soldier, Nasutitermes rippertii. These include the 9/8-mono-ol, the 2/8,3a-diol and its acetates, the 2/3,3a,9o -triol and its triacetate, the 2j8,3a,13a-triol and its triacetate, and the 13-oxotrinervi-j8,3a-diol and its diacetate. Isotrinervi-2jS-ol has been obtained from the defensive secretions of T. gratiosus. Kempene-1 (127) and kempene-2 (128) are tetracyclic diterpenoids of a related type which were obtained from another Nasutitermes species. The structure (128) was established by A-ray analysis. 

C15H22O2, Mr 234.34, soluble in dichloromethane and chloroform. It is the active principle in the defensive secretions of the west African termite species Ancis-trotermes cavithorax. A. is only produced by the small soldier ants the defensive secretions of the latge soldier ants do not contain any ancistrodial. A. is active against the termites main predator, ants of the species Megaponera foetens The formula shows the stereochemistry of synthetic (R)-(-)-A. The stereochemistry of the natural product is still unknown. lit. J. Chem. Ecol. 13, 1171 (1987). Oecologia 32. 101 (1977). 

C20H32O, Mr 288.47, oil. A component of the defensive secretion of soldier insects of the termite subfamily Nasutitermitinae with a unique diterpene structure. Ut. Atta-ur-Rahman 1986,318-329-J. Am. Chem. Soc. 102, 6825 (1980). - [CAS 76649-58-6]... 

M.S. Collins Chemical Defense Secretions of the Termite Soldiers of Acorhino-termes and Rhinotermes (Isoptera, Rhinotermitinae) Ketones, Vinyl Ketones and P-Ketoaldehydes Derived from Fatty Acids. J. Chem. Ecol. 8,147-161 (1982). 

Prestwich, G. D. and Collins, M. S. (1982) Chemical defense secretions of the termite soldiers of Acorhinotermes and Rhinotermes (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) ketones, vinyl ketones and p-ketoaldehydes derived from fatty acids. J, Chem, EcoL, 8, 147-61. 

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. 

Kempene-2 156, kempene-1 157 and 3-ept-kempene-l 158 are diterpenes with a kempane skeleton isolated from the defense secretion of termite soldiers of the... 

Cephalic alarm pheromones are secreted by soldiers of termites in the genera Drepanotermes and Amitermes (29). These compounds have been identified as limonene and terpinolene, two of several monoterpene hydrocarbons forming part of the defensive battery of these insects. 

In termites intracolony, intraindividual and intraspecific variation may be provided by the secretions of the soldiers. The multiple functions of these semiochemicals in defense, recognition and reproductive isolation is an unusual means of chemical communication and will be discussed later. 

Nutting, W. L., Blum, M. S. and Fales, H. M. (1974) Behaviour of the North American termite, Tenuirostritermes tenuirostris, with special reference to the soldier frontal gland secretion, its chemical composition and its use in defense. Psyche, 18, 167-77. 

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