SOLID-PHASE MICROEXTRACTION AND CUTICULAR HYDROCARBON DIFFERENCES RELATED TO REPRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY IN QUEENLESS ANT DINOPONERA-QUADRICEPS

We extracted the cuticular hydrocarbons from live Dinoponera quadricep s ants (10 colonies collected from Brazil) with the solventless solid- phase microextraction (SPME) technique. Gas chromatography of the SPME samples (N = 233 measurements) compared with pentane extracts (N = 10 ) resulted in similar profiles. Eighty-one compounds belonging to the main long-chain hydrocarbon families were identified by GC-MS. There i s no morphologically specialized queen in D. quadriceps and only one a ggressively dominant worker (alpha) mates and reproduces in each colon y. The alpha ant (N = 26 individuals) always yielded higher amounts an d percentages of g-hentriacontene (9-C-31:1) than her sterile nestmate s (N = 47). Since SPME is not destructive, it allowed for the repeated extraction of the same individuals, demonstrating that the alpha ant (virgin or mated) always had higher levels of 9-hentriacontene. This d ifference appears related to ovarian activity and may function as a si gnal of the alpha's dominance status.