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Sesquiterpenes in the frontal gland secretions of nasute soldier termites from New Guinea

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Abstract

In five New GuineaNasutitermes (N. gracilirostris, N. novarumhebridarum, N. torresi, N. triodiae, and an undescribed speciesN. sp.F), we have detected and identified 10 sesquiterpenes. Eight of these compounds (β)-elemene,β-caryophyllene,α-humulene,α-muurolene,γ-selinene,β-selinene, germacrene-A, and γ2-cadinene) were identified by GC and GC-MS (EI). Two uncommon sesquiterpenes, (5R*, 7R*, 10S*)-selina-4(14),11-diene and (5R*, 7R*, 10S*)-selina-3,11-diene, were identified by GC, GC-MS (EI, CI), GC-FTIR, and mono- and bidimensional NMR. Whereas in most species sesquiterpenes are present in low or trace amounts, inN. novarumhebridarum the sesquiterpenic fraction of soldier frontal gland secretion is equal to that of the monoterpenes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Zoologie, C.N.R.S. U.R.A. 674, Dijon, France

    Claude Everaerts & Odile Bonnard

  2. Laboratoire de Biologie animale et cellulaire, Bruxelles, Belgium

    Yves Roisin & Jacques M. Pasteels

  3. Laboiratoire de Recherches sur les Arômes, I.N.R.A., Dijon, France

    Jean -Luc Le Quéré

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  1. Claude Everaerts
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  2. Yves Roisin
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  3. Jean -Luc Le Quéré
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  4. Odile Bonnard
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  5. Jacques M. Pasteels
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King Léopold III Biological Station, Laing Island, Papua New Guinea, contribution No. 268.

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Everaerts, C., Roisin, Y., Le Quéré, J.L. et al. Sesquiterpenes in the frontal gland secretions of nasute soldier termites from New Guinea. J Chem Ecol 19, 2865–2879 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00980588

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