Abdalla Fábio C, Jones Graeme R, Morgan Erik D, da Cruz-Landim Carminda
Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brasil.
Genet Mol Res. 2003 Jun 30;2(2):191-9.
In social insects, cuticular hydrocarbons are involved in species, kin, caste and nestmate recognition. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry were used to compare the cuticular hydrocarbon composition of workers, males and queens of Melipona bicolor. The cuticular hydrocarbon composition of this species was found to consist mainly of C23, C25:1, C25, C27:1, C27, C29:1 and C29, which are already present in imagoes that have not yet abandoned the brood cell. This composition varied quantitatively and qualitatively between and within the castes and sexes. The newly emerged workers and young queens (virgins) had similar cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, which were different from those of the males. When the females start executing their tasks in the colony, the cuticular hydrocarbon profile differences appear. The workers have less variety, while the queens conserve or increase the number of cuticular hydrocarbon compounds. The queens have more abdominal tegumentary glands than the workers, which apparently are the source of the new cuticular compounds.
在社会性昆虫中，表皮碳氢化合物参与物种、亲属、品级和巢伴识别。采用气相色谱和质谱法比较了双色无刺蜂工蜂、雄蜂和蜂王的表皮碳氢化合物组成。发现该物种的表皮碳氢化合物组成主要由C23、C25:1、C25、C27:1、C27、C29:1和C29组成，这些成分在尚未离开育虫室的成虫中就已存在。这种组成在不同品级和性别之间以及同一品级和性别内部在数量和质量上都有所不同。新羽化的工蜂和年轻蜂王（处女王）具有相似的表皮碳氢化合物谱，这与雄蜂的不同。当雌性开始在蜂群中执行任务时，表皮碳氢化合物谱的差异就会出现。工蜂的种类较少，而蜂王保留或增加了表皮碳氢化合物的种类。蜂王比工蜂有更多的腹部体壁腺，这显然是新表皮化合物的来源。
