Behavioral bioassays of termite trail pheromones Recruitment and orientation effects of cembrene-A inNasutitermes costalis (Isoptera: Termitidae) and discussion of factors affecting termite response in experimental contexts

Published Date
November 1985, Volume 11, Issue 11, pp 1503–1513

Title 

Behavioral bioassays of termite trail pheromones

Recruitment and orientation effects of cembrene-A inNasutitermes costalis (Isoptera: Termitidae) and discussion of factors affecting termite response in experimental contexts

• Author 

• Pamela Hall, 
• James F. A. Traniello

Abstract 

The monocyclic 14-membered ring diterpene, cembrene-A, previously identified as a nasutitermitine trail pheromone, was tested for its effectiveness as a trail pheromone inNasutitermes costalis. Artificial trails prepared from serial dilutions of racemic cembrene-A over a concentration range of 10−1–10−6 mg/ml were ineffective in recruiting termites. Serial dilutions of racemic cembrene-A ranging in concentration from 10−1 to 10−5 mg/ml produced an orientation effect. Chiral cembrene-A produced recruitment in soldiers at 10−1and 10−3 mg/ml and was less ineffective in recruiting workers. Soldiers always showed a lower and more variable recruitment response to chiral cembrene-A than to sternal gland extracts. The behavioral response to both chiral and racemic cembrene-A was different in quantity and quality from that observed for sternal gland extract. Based on the results of these behavioral tests, cembrene-A appears to be a generalized nasute orientation pheromone which may show recruitment properties at unnaturally high concentrations.

References 

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