The trail pheromone of the venomous samsum ant, Pachycondyla sennaarensis
1Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, PO. Box: 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
2Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El Minia, Egypt
Abstract
Ant species use branching networks of pheromone trails for orientation between nest and resources. The current study demonstrated that workers of the venomous samsum ant, Pachycondyla sennaarensis (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae), employ recruitment trail pheromones discharged from the Dufour’s gland. Secretions of other abdomen complex glands, as well as hindgut gland secretions, did not evoke trail following. The optimum concentration of trail pheromone was found to be 0.1 gland equivalent/40 cm trail. This concentration demonstrated effective longevity for about one hour. This study also showed that P. sennaarensis and Tapinoma simrothi each respond to the trail pheromones of the other species as well as their own.
Keywords: Dufour gland, longevity, optimal dose, source, specificity
Correspondence:
*mmashely@ksu.edu.sa, *Corresponding author
Received: 9 January 2010 | Accepted: 21 February 2010 | Published: 18 March 2011
Copyright: This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.
ISSN: 1536-2442 | Volume 11, Number 31
Mashaly AMA, Ahmed AM, Al-Abdullah MA, Al-Khalifa MS. 2011. The trail pheromone of the venomous samsum ant, Pachycondyla sennaarensis. Journal of Insect Science 11:31 available online: insectscience.org/11.31
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