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Science 2 November 1973:
Vol. 182. no. 4111, pp. 501 - 503
DOI: 10.1126/science.182.4111.501
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Articles

Alkylpyrazine Alarm Pheromones in Ponerine Ants

James W. Wheeler 1 and Murray S. Blum 2

1 Department of Chemistry, Howard University, Washington, D.C. 20001
2 Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens 30602

The mandibular gland secretions of the ponerine ants Odontomachus hastatus, O. clarus, and O. brunneus contain alkylpyrazines. These compounds, 2,5-dimethyl-3-isopentylpyrazine in O. hastatus and O. clarus, and 2,6-dimethyl-3-pentyl-, -butyl-, -propyl-, and -ethyl-pyrazines in O. brunneus, have previously not been found as animal natural products. These compounds function as powerful releasers of alarm behavior for Odontomachus workers and are probably also utilized as defensive compounds.

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)