F. Regnier, E. Wilson
Jul 1, 1968
Citations
3
Influential Citations
103
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Journal of Insect Physiology
Abstract
Abstract All of the principal and some of the minor volatile products of Acanthomyops claviger were identified chemically, their glandular source determined, and their functions analysed. Undecane was shown to be an efficient spreading agent for formic acid. All of the more abundant substances in the C 10 –C 13 range, including undecane, were shown to be alarm pheromones, with behavioral threshold concentrations varying in order of magnitude from 10 10 to 10 12 and yielding potential signal distances in the centimetre range. Among the substances tested behaviorally, olfactory efficiency varies with molecular weight rather than structure. The C 10 –C 13 substances are optimal for alarm signalling because, apparently on the basis of molecular weight alone, they combine moderate olfactory efficiency with sufficiently high vapour pressure to broadcast in the centimetre range when present in microgram quantities or less.