Chemical communication in termites: syn-4,6-Dimethylundecan-1-ol as 3 trail-following pheromone, syn-4,6-dimethylundecanal and 4 (5E)-2,6,10-trimethylundeca-5,9-dienal as the respective male and female sex 5 pheromones in Hodotermopsis sjoestedti (Isoptera, Archotermopsidae) - INRAE - Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement
Journal Articles Journal of Insect Physiology Year : 2011

Chemical communication in termites: syn-4,6-Dimethylundecan-1-ol as 3 trail-following pheromone, syn-4,6-dimethylundecanal and 4 (5E)-2,6,10-trimethylundeca-5,9-dienal as the respective male and female sex 5 pheromones in Hodotermopsis sjoestedti (Isoptera, Archotermopsidae)

Abstract

The trail-following pheromone and sex pheromones were investigated in the Indomalayan termite Hodotermopsis sjoestedti belonging to the new family Archotermopsidae. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after solid phase microextraction (SPME) of the sternal gland secretion of pseudergates and trail-following bioassays demonstrated that the trailfollowing pheromone of H. sjoestedti was syn-4,6-dimethylundecan-1-ol, a new chemical structure for termite pheromones. GC-MS after SPME of the sternal gland secretion of alates also allowed the identification of sex-specific compounds. In female alates, the major sex-specific compound was identified as (5E)-2,6,10-trimethylundeca-5,9-dienal, a compound previously identified as the female sex pheromone of the termite Zootermopsis nevadensis. In male alates, the major sex-specific compound was identified as syn-4,6-dimethylundecanal, a homolog of syn-4,6-dimethyldodecanal, which has previously been confirmed as the male sex pheromone of Z. nevadensis. The presence of sex-specific compounds in alates of H. sjoestedti strongly suggests for this termite the presence of sex-specific pairing pheromones which were only known until now in Z. nevadensis. Our results showed therefore a close chemical relationship between the pheromones of the taxa Hodotermopsis and Zootermopsis and, in contrast, a clear difference with the taxa Stolotermes and Porotermes, which is in total agreement with the recent creation of the families Archotermopsidae and Stolotermitidae as a substitute for the former family Termopsidae.
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Dates and versions

bioemco-00663115 , version 1 (26-01-2012)

Identifiers

  • HAL Id : bioemco-00663115 , version 1
  • PRODINRA : 245704

Cite

M. J. Lacey, Etienne Semon, Jana Krasulova, David Sillam-Dussès, Alain Robert, et al.. Chemical communication in termites: syn-4,6-Dimethylundecan-1-ol as 3 trail-following pheromone, syn-4,6-dimethylundecanal and 4 (5E)-2,6,10-trimethylundeca-5,9-dienal as the respective male and female sex 5 pheromones in Hodotermopsis sjoestedti (Isoptera, Archotermopsidae). Journal of Insect Physiology, 2011, 57, pp.1585-1591. ⟨bioemco-00663115⟩
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