Relationship Between Hydrocarbon Composition on the Cuticle of Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Workers and the Secretion of the Cephalic Salivary Glands

Silvana B Poiani,E D Morgan,Falko P Drijfhout,Carminda Cruz-Landim

doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v65i4.3384

Abstract

Since chemical communication is pivotal for social insect success, the present paper aimed to quantify and qualify the chemical compounds that might have pheromonal role in both cephalic salivary gland and epicuticle of workers of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier using gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results indicated that the hydrocarbons were the main compounds in both cephalic salivary gland and epicuticle, followed by esters. Positive Mantel correspondence analysis suggests that the glands could contribute to replenishment of surface compounds as an auxiliary source. Discriminant analysis also pointed out that gland and epicuticle chemical profi les were phase-related.

Highlights

Insects produce chemicals of several natures that act in communicative interactions among individuals of different species, named allelochemicals, and among individuals of same species, known as pheromones (Morgan, 2010)
In addition to the class III exocrine glands, all glands of ectodermal origin such as tegumental class I gland and exocrine glands structured as organs (CruzLandim, 1994) have the potential to contribute to secretion and formation of surface compounds
Chemical compounds on body surface and exocrine glands are important chemical cues used for social interactions and community homeostasis in social insects (Jarau et al, 2004, 2006; Howard and Blomquist 2005; Cruz-Landim, 2009)

Summary

Introduction

Insects produce chemicals of several natures that act in communicative interactions among individuals of different species, named allelochemicals, and among individuals of same species, known as pheromones (Morgan, 2010). In social insects these compounds are found in the secretion of several exocrine glands and in the epicuticle’s surface mediating social interactions among the nestmates (Jarau et al, 2004, 2006; Howard & Blomquist, 2005; Cruz-Landim, 2009). Oenocytes are of ectodermal origin and they are pointed out as the main endogenous source of surface compounds (Kramer & Wigglesworth, 1950; Gu et al, 1995). Cephalic salivary glands (GSC) and Dufour’s have been pointed out as source of these hydrocarbons (Kullenberget al., 1973; Bergman & Bergström, 1997; Poiani & Cruz-Landim, 2017)

Methods

Results

Conclusion