Sex pheromone identified after Solid Phase Microextraction from tergal glands of female alates in Cornitermes bequaerti (Isoptera, Nasutitermitinae)

• Published in: Insectes sociaux Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 209 - 215
• Main Authors: BORDEREAU, C, CANCELLO, E. M, SEMON, E, COURRENT, A, QUENNEDEY, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; French
• Published: Basel Springer 01.01.2002; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and Process Engineering; Engineering Sciences; Food engineering; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Life Sciences; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Sex pheromone; Chemical analysis; Insecta; Isoptera; Alcohol; Social insect; Tergal gland; Solid phase microextraction; Gas chromatography; Arthropoda; Female; Invertebrata; Semiochemicals
• ISSN: 0020-1812; 1420-9098
• DOI: 10.1007/s00040-002-8303-1

For the first time, a termite sex pheromone secreted by tergal glands has been isolated and identified. In the mandibulate nasute termite Cornitermes bequaerti, pairing of swarming imagoes is mediated by a sex pheromone secreted by females from their tergal glands. These well developed sexual glands located in front of tergites 8, 9, 10 are essentially composed of class 1 and 2 cells, but also of some glandular units of class 3 cells. The major volatile compound of tergal secretion was isolated by solid phase microextraction (SPME) and identified by GC-MS as (3Z, 6Z, 8E)-dodecatrien-1-ol. Sex attraction bioassays with synthetic (3Z, 6Z, 8E)-dodecatrien-1-ol showed that this alcohol was the main component of the sex pheromone in C. bequaerti. The cellular origin and the key role of (3Z, 6Z, 8E)-dodecatrien-1-ol in the biology of termites are discussed.