Abstract
The sex attractant pheromone produced in mandibular glands of queens of the slave-making ant Polyergus breviceps has been identified as a blend of methyl 6-methylsalicylate and 3-ethyl-4-methylpentanol. In field trials, each compound alone was completely unattractive to males, whereas blends of the two compounds attracted hundreds of males within a couple of hours.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Ants / physiology*
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Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
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Behavior, Animal / physiology
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Female
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Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
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Male
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Pentanols / analysis
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Pentanols / chemistry
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Salicylates / analysis
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Salicylates / chemistry
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Sex Attractants / chemistry
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Sex Attractants / pharmacology*
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Time Factors
Substances
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Pentanols
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Salicylates
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Sex Attractants
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methyl salicylate