Source of alate excitant pheromones in the red imported fire antSolenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) |
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Authors: | Leeanne E Alonso Robert K Vander Meer |
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Institution: | (1) Center for Medical Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1600 SW 23rd Drive, 32608 Gainesville, Florida;(2) Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, 73019-0235 Norman, Oklahoma |
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Abstract: | At the onset of mating flights inSolenopsis invicta, workers swarm excitedly over the mound as alates prepare to fly. Previous studies demonstrated that this excitement is stimulated
by the male and female alates. We investigated the glandular source(s) of pheromones produced by the alates that cause excitement.
The only common female and male alate body part that elicited excitement when crushed was the head. Within the head, excised
mandibular glands were found to be responsible for worker excitement. Fire ant workers are very sensitive to external stimuli
and some excitement was elicited by crushed female gasters and male thoraces, but the response was never as significant as
with crushed heads. Tests with summer and winter alates revealed similar results, except that gasters of winter female alates
had a greater excitant effect than did gasters of summer female alates. This may be due to the production of attractant pheromones
by the poison glands of overwintering female alates. We conclude that the mandibular gland is the source of alate excitant
pheromones. |
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Keywords: | Solenopsis invicta alates excitant pheromones mandibular glands alarm |
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