Alarm pheromones and the influence of pupal odor on the aggressiveness of Polybia paulista (Ihering) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)



Document title: Alarm pheromones and the influence of pupal odor on the aggressiveness of Polybia paulista (Ihering) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Journal: The journal of venomous animals and toxins
Database: PERIÓDICA
System number: 000298630
ISSN: 0104-7930
Authors: 1

Institutions: 1Universidade Estadual Paulista "Julio de Mesquita Filho", Instituto de Biociencias, Rio Claro, Sao Paulo. Brasil
Year:
Volumen: 4
Number: 1
Pages: 61-69
Country: Brasil
Language: Inglés
Document type: Artículo
Approach: Experimental, aplicado
English abstract Field bioassays were used to demonstrate that aggressive behavior of Polybia paulista (Ihering) workers is elicited by alarm pheromones present in the venom reservoirs of nest defenders and that the brood care pheromone (pupal odor) produced by the young inside the nest also plays an important defensive role. Pupal odor was extracted from the surface of pupa bodies with methanol. When bioassayed alone, the pupal odor elicited only attractiveness of workers towards the odor source, but no stinging attacks were observed. However, in the presence of alarm pheromones, the brood care pheromone potentiated the effect caused by the pupal odors, increasing the number of stinging attacks during an action of colony defense. Thus, the presence of pupae within the nest evidently not only releases brood care but also enhances the aggressiveness of workers in P. paulista colonies
Disciplines: Biología
Keyword: Etología,
Fisiología animal,
Insectos,
Avispas,
Pupas,
Feromonas,
Conducta defensiva,
Polybia paulista,
Hymenoptera
Keyword: Biology,
Animal physiology,
Ethology,
Insects,
Wasps,
Pupae,
Pheromones,
Defensive behavior,
Polybia paulista,
Hymenoptera
Full text: Texto completo (Ver HTML)