Department of Zoology, George Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Ramat Aviv, Israel.
J Chem Ecol. 1986 Jan;12(1):197-208. doi: 10.1007/BF01045603.
The compositions of Dufour's gland secretions of four sympatric halictine bee species were chemically studied by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The secretion is composed of C16-C24 macrocyclic lactones, isopentenyl esters, and hydrocarbons. Comparative analyses have revealed that the blends of compounds are species specific. Studies of individual glands belonging to bees of the speciesEvylaeus malachurum have demonstrated that each bee exhibits a specific blend in its Dufour's gland. Nestmate bees (considered as sister bees), however, are more similar to each other than nonrelated bees. The relative importance of species specificity, individual specificity, and similarities between kins are discussed.
四种共生的熊蜂科蜜蜂的 Dufour 腺分泌物的成分通过气相色谱-质谱联用进行了化学研究。分泌物由 C16-C24 大环内酯、异戊烯酯和碳氢化合物组成。比较分析表明，化合物的混合物是特定于物种的。对属于 Evylaeus malachurum 物种的单个腺体的研究表明，每只蜜蜂在其 Dufour 腺中都表现出特定的混合物。然而，巢内的蜜蜂（被认为是姐妹蜜蜂）彼此之间比非相关的蜜蜂更为相似。讨论了物种特异性、个体特异性以及亲缘关系之间相似性的相对重要性。
