Pollination by sexual mimicry in Mormolyca ringens: a floral chemistry that remarkably matches the pheromones of virgin queens of Scaptotrigona sp.
The chemical composition of some volatile (2-heptanol) and nonvolatile constituents (a homologous 9-alkene/alkane series) of Mormolyca ringens flowers and Scaptotrigona sp. queen waxes (homologous 9-alkene/alkane series) and cephalic extracts (homologous series of 2-alkanols, including 2-heptanol) involved with the pseudocopulation or sexual mimicry in Orchidaceae pollination is compared. The similarity in chemical composition of flowers and insects is assigned to the chemically induced copulatory activity in Scaptotrigona males.
Flach
Adriana
A
Chemistry Institute, State University of Campinas, PO Box 6154, 13084-971 Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Marsaioli
Anita J
AJ
Singer
Rodrigo B
RB
Amaral
Maria do Carmo E
Mdo C
Menezes
Cristiano
C
Kerr
Warwick Estevam
WE
Batista-Pereira
Luciane G
LG
Corrêa
Arlene G
AG
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D029595:Orchidaceae / Q000502:physiology*; D011058:Pollen; D012724:Sex Attractants; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
D012724:Sex Attractants