Trail communication in twoMessorspecies,M. meridionalisandM. foreli(Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract

In two Messor species, M. meridionalis and M. foreli, glandular source, optimum concentration, longevity and interspecific responses of the trail pheromone were studied in the laboratory. Dufour's gland is the sole origin of the trail pheromone, and has no synergism with the content of the poison gland or the hindgut. Secretions of other gaster complex glands, as well as hindgut contents, in fact, did not evoke trail following. The optimum concentration of trail pheromone was found to be one gland equivalent/30 cm trail. This concentration demonstrated effective longevity for about 1 h. Interspecific trail-following tests indicate that signals mediating trail-following behaviour in these harvesting ants are not strictly species-specific.

Trail Pheromones in Pest Control

“…The optimum concentration was 1.0 and 0.1 gaster equivalent (GE)/30 cm trail in M. niloticum, 1.0 GE in M. najrane and 5.0 GE in M. mayri (Mashaly, 2010). In M. meridionalis and M. foreli, the optimum concentration of trail pheromone was found to be 1 gland equivalent/30 cm trail (Mashaly, 2011). In P. sennaarensis, the optimum concentration of trail pheromone was found to be 0.1 gland equivalent/40 cm trail .…”

“…There is no species specificity among M. niloticum, M. najrane and M. mayri in their trail pheromones (Mashaly, 2010). Also, the response of the two Messor ants M. meridionalis and M. foreli to extracts of their trail pheromones, presented as a point source, is clearly non species-specific (Mashaly, 2011). P. sennaarensis and Tapinoma simrothi each respond to the trail pheromones of the other species, as well as their own .…”

“…Dufour's gland is the source of trail pheromone in Solenopsis species (Robert, et al, 1989), in Pheidole fallax Mayr (Wilson 1963), in M. destructor (Ritter et al, 1980), in Gnamptogenys menadensis (subfamily Ponerinae) (Gobin et al, 1998), in the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Visicchio et al, 2001), in M. mayri (Mashaly, 2010), in the samsum ant Pachycondyla sennaarensis (Mashaly et al, 2011) and in Messor meridionalis and M. foreli (Mashaly, 2011).…”

“…The distance through which a pheromone may transmit a message is a function of the volatility of the compound, its chemical stability in air, the rate of diffusion, the olfactory efficiency of the receiver, and wind speed and direction (Fitzgerald & Underwood, 1998). In ants, trail longevity varies from minutes in Aphaenogaster albisetosus (Hölldobler et al, 1995), to 2 h in M. lepineyi and M. bicolor , to 1 h in M. niloticum, M. mayri, and M. najrane (Mashaly, 2010), to 105 mins in P. longicornis and P. vividula (Mashaly et al, 2008), to 1 hr in M. meridionalis and M. foreli (Mashaly, 2011) and to several weeks in some Eciton species (Torgerson & Akre, 1970). Short-lived trails can rapidly modulate recruitment to ephemeral food sources, whereas long-lived trails will be more suited to persistent, or recurrent, food sources (Fitzgerald & Underwood, 1998).…”

New Perspectives in Plant Protection

“…The Dufour gland contains the trail pheromone in a few species; in several others, it has been shown to have a homemarking effect (Cammaerts et al, 1981); and in Pogonomyrmex species, it provides longer-lasting trunk route markers (Hölldobler et al, 2004), and its secretion confuses or repels potential slaves of slave-making species. Dufour's gland is the source of trail pheromone in Solenopsis species (Robert, et al, 1989), in Pheidole fallax Mayr (Wilson 1963), in M. destructor (Ritter et al, 1980), in Gnamptogenys menadensis (subfamily Ponerinae) (Gobin et al, 1998), in the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Visicchio et al, 2001), in M. mayri (Mashaly, 2010), in the samsum ant Pachycondyla sennaarensis (Mashaly et al, 2011) and in Messor meridionalis and M. foreli (Mashaly, 2011).…”