Overlooked Scents: Chemical Profile of Soma, Volatile Emissions and Trails of the Green Tree Ant, Oecophylla smaragdina

The green tree ant, Oecophylla smaragdina, is one of only two recognized species of weaver ants. While the identity and functions of chemicals produced and emitted by its congener O. longinoda have been studied quite extensively and serve as a valuable model in chemical ecology research, little comparable information is available about O. smaragdina. Although some analyses of chemicals produced and emitted by O. smaragdina have been reported, the literature is fragmentary and incomplete for this species. To address this knowledge gap, and to enable comparisons in the chemical ecology of the two weaver ant species, we here describe diverse chemicals from the cuticle, Dufour’s glands, poison glands, head, headspace volatiles, and trails of O. smaragdina.

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Re-Analysis of Abdominal Gland Volatilome Secretions of the African Weaver Ant, Oecophylla longinoda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26040871 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 871

Author(s):

Bethelihem Mekonnen ◽

Xavier Cheseto ◽

Christian Pirk ◽

Abdullahi Yusuf ◽

Sunday Ekesi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solid Phase ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Control Agent ◽

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽

Headspace Volatiles ◽

Weaver Ant ◽

Oecophylla Longinoda ◽

Sternal Glands ◽

Poison Glands ◽

First Time

The African weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda, is used as a biological control agent for the management of pests. The ant has several exocrine glands in the abdomen, including Dufour’s, poison, rectal, and sternal glands, which are associated with pheromone secretions for intra-specific communication. Previous studies have analyzed the gland secretions of Dufour’s and poison glands. The chemistry of the rectal and sternal glands is unknown. We re-analyzed the secretions from Dufour’s and poison glands plus the rectal and sternal glands to compare their chemistries and identify additional components. We used the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique to collect gland headspace volatiles and solvent extraction for the secretions. Coupled gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis detected a total of 78 components, of which 62 were being reported for the first time. These additional components included 32 hydrocarbons, 12 carboxylic acids, 5 aldehydes, 3 alcohols, 2 ketones, 4 terpenes, 3 sterols, and 1 benzenoid. The chemistry of Dufour’s and poison glands showed a strong overlap and was distinct from that of the rectal and sternal glands. The different gland mixtures may contribute to the different physiological and behavioral functions in this ant species.

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Profiling and Metabolism of Sterols in the Weaver Ant Genus Oecophylla

Natural Product Communications ◽

10.1177/1934578x1601100114 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 1934578X1601100

Author(s):

Nanna H. Vidkjær ◽

Karl-Martin V. Jensen ◽

René Gislum ◽

Inge S. Fomsgaard

Keyword(s):

Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽

Biochemical Processes ◽

Weaver Ants ◽

Weaver Ant ◽

Oecophylla Longinoda ◽

Sterol Profile ◽

Dietary Sterols ◽

First Time

Sterols are essential to insects because they are vital for many biochemical processes, nevertheless insects cannot synthesize sterols but have to acquire them through their diet. Studies of sterols in ants are sparse and here the sterols of the weaver ant genus Oecophylla are identified for the first time. The sterol profile and the dietary sterols provided to a laboratory Oecophylla longinoda colony were analyzed. Most sterols originated from the diet, except one, which was probably formed via dealkylation in the ants and two sterols of fungal origin, which likely originate from hitherto unidentified endosymbionts responsible for supplying these two compounds. The sterol profile of a wild Oecophylla smaragdina colony was also investigated. Remarkable qualitative similarities were established between the two species despite the differences in diet, species, and origin. This may reflect a common sterol need/aversion in the weaver ants. Additionally, each individual caste of both species displayed unique sterol profiles.

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KARAKTERISTIK HABITUS DAN LINGKUNGAN POHON SARANG SEMUT RANGRANG (Oecophylla smaragdina) DI BANDAR LAMPUNG

Jurnal Ilmiah Biologi dan Keanekaragaman Hayati ◽

10.23960/jbekh.v5i2.49 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 31-35

Author(s):

Dewi Ariska ◽

Suratman Umar ◽

Nismah Nukmal ◽

M. Kanedi

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Tree Height ◽

Sample Population ◽

Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽

Eusocial Insect ◽

Weaver Ants ◽

Weaver Ant ◽

Slippery Surface

The weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) is a eusocial insect, whose colonic life is highly dependent on the existence of trees. The existence of the weaver ant in natural habitat is now reduced due to the destruction of habitats caused by humans. To preserve the existence of weaver ant in nature needs to be studied bioecology as the purpose of this research is to know the characteristics of habitus and environment of weaver ants nest in Bandar Lampung. The research was conducted in June-October 2017 at the location of yard and plantation, using 50% sample from the sample population, from 20 districts in Bandar Lampung, 10 sub-districts were used as randomly selected research sites. The results showed as many as 15 types of plants used weaver ant for nesting. The most widely planted species of weaver ant is Mangifera sp. with characteristics of slippery surface habitus, sympodial branching, tree height of 3.9 to 11.5 m and an average canopy of> 65%, more nests found in yards (76%) far from urban areas, the percentage of the dominant nest toward the east , which is 41.8% of the total number of 86 nests.

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Polymorphism and division of labour in a socially complex ant: neuromodulation of aggression in the Australian weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2015.0704 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 282 (1811) ◽

pp. 20150704 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

J. Frances Kamhi ◽

Kelley Nunn ◽

Simon K. A. Robson ◽

James F. A. Traniello

Keyword(s):

Social Systems ◽

Division Of Labour ◽

Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽

Minor Worker ◽

Task Specialization ◽

Territorial Defence ◽

Weaver Ant ◽

Eusocial Insects ◽

Worker Size ◽

Pharmacological Manipulations

Complex social structure in eusocial insects can involve worker morphological and behavioural differentiation. Neuroanatomical variation may underscore worker division of labour, but the regulatory mechanisms of size-based task specialization in polymorphic species are unknown. The Australian weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina , exhibits worker polyphenism: larger major workers aggressively defend arboreal territories, whereas smaller minors nurse brood. Here, we demonstrate that octopamine (OA) modulates worker size-related aggression in O. smaragdina . We found that the brains of majors had significantly higher titres of OA than those of minors and that OA was positively and specifically correlated with the frequency of aggressive responses to non-nestmates, a key component of territorial defence. Pharmacological manipulations that effectively switched OA action in major and minor worker brains reversed levels of aggression characteristic of each worker size class. Results suggest that altering OA action is sufficient to produce differences in aggression characteristic of size-related social roles. Neuromodulators therefore may generate variation in responsiveness to task-related stimuli associated with worker size differentiation and collateral behavioural specializations, a significant component of division of labour in complex social systems.

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