First identification of a trail pheromone of an army ant (Aenictus species) |
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| Authors: | N J Oldham E D Morgan B Gobin J Billen |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Chemistry, Keele University, ST5 5BG Keele, Staffordshire, (England, UK);(2) Zoölogisch Instituut, Katholiek Universiteit, Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, (Belgium) |
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| Abstract: | Totally blind army ants carry out massive and highly organised foraging raids, apparently guided by chemical stimuli. Until now, this phenomenon has not been closely analysed. The existence of a trail pheromone in a postpygidial gland of anAenictus species has been demonstrated and the substances identified as methyl anthranilate and methyl nicotinate The pheromone consists of two parts: a primer effect, caused by methyl nicotinate, which prepares workers to follow trails, but is not itself followed, and a releaser effect, due to methyl anthranilate, which causes trail-following only in conjunction with the primer substance. |
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| Keywords: | Formicidae Aenictus army ant trail pheromone methyl anthranilate methyl nicotinate primer pheromone releaser pheromone |
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