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. 1982 Sep;8(9):1193-205.
doi: 10.1007/BF00990752.

Trail-following in termites: Evidence for a multicomponent system

M Kaib  1 , O Bruinsma, R H Leuthold
Affiliations

Trail-following in termites: Evidence for a multicomponent system

M Kaib et al. J Chem Ecol. 1982 Sep.

Abstract

Several African termite species from different subfamilies and different habitats are sensitive to trail-active extracts or to naturally laid trails from other species. Using single-extract bioassays, it is shown that the response threshold for trail-following is nearly identical for all tested species (except forHodotermes mossambicus). However, when termite workers have a choice between trails from their own species and from other species, conspecific trail-following is exclusively observed. This phenomenon can be counteracted by dilution (1∶10) of the conspecific trail-pheromone extract. Tests of the trail activity of various synthetic alcohols show that among these, the highest sensitivity of termite workers is to (Z)-3-dodecen-1-ol. Based on our experimental data, we postulate that, in addition to a generally active trail-pheromone constituent (an unsaturated primary C12 alcohol) or a pool of chemically closely related alcohols, other species-specific components are present in termite trails.

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