Artigo
Chemical composition of the dufour gland secretion in queens of Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera, Meliponini)
Fecha
2004-09-01Registro en:
Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, v. 15, n. 5, p. 621-625, 2004.
0103-5053
10.1590/S0103-50532004000500002
S0103-50532004000500002
WOS:000224958800002
2-s2.0-9644291473
2-s2.0-9644291473.pdf
Autor
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Keele University
Resumen
We describe differences in the chemical composition of the Dufour gland secretion of virgin and physogastric queens of Melipona bicolor through gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The Dufour gland secretion of virgin queens consists only of hydrocarbons, while that of physogastric queens contains, besides these, a variety of other compounds, such as isobutyrate and acetate esters. Such differences may indicate the queen fecundity condition and the oxygenated compounds of the physogastrics secretion may help to increase their attractiveness.