Alkyl-Dimethylpyrazines in Mandibular Gland Secretions of Four Odontomachus Ant Species (Formicidae: Ponerinae)

Ponerine ants are known to contain mixtures of pyrazines in their mandibular glands. We analyzed the mandibular gland contents of four ponerine species ( Odontomachus chelifer, O. erythrocephalus, O. ruginodis , and O. bauri ) by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and found that each...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical ecology 2018-05, Vol.44 (5), p.444-451
Main Authors: Xu, Sihang, Errabeli, Ramu, Feener, Donald H., Noble, Katherine, Attygalle, Athula B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Biochemistry
Biological Microscopy
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Chemical ecology
Ecology
Entomology
Gas chromatography
Glands
Insects
Isomers
Life Sciences
Mandibular gland
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectroscopy
Odontomachus
Pyrazines
Secretions
Species
Spectra
Volatile compounds
Volatiles
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Summary:Ponerine ants are known to contain mixtures of pyrazines in their mandibular glands. We analyzed the mandibular gland contents of four ponerine species ( Odontomachus chelifer, O. erythrocephalus, O. ruginodis , and O. bauri ) by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and found that each species contains specific mixtures of trisubstituted alkylpyrazines among other volatiles. Attempts to identify alkylpyrazines solely by mass spectral interpretation is unrealistic because spectra of positional isomers are indistinguishable. To avoid misidentifications, we synthesized a large number of reference compounds and compared their mass spectral and gas chromatographic properties with those present in the Odontomachus species under investigation. Most of the compounds identified were 2-alkyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazines. Interestingly, when the third substituent was an isopentyl group, the two methyl groups were found to be located at the 2 and 5 ring positions. Using our data, we recognized several misidentifications in previous publications.
ISSN:0098-0331
1573-1561
DOI:10.1007/s10886-018-0948-y