title: Correlation between mandibular gland secretion and  cuticular hydrocarbons in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata.
abstract: We investigated whether Melipona quadrifasciata worker  mandibular gland secretions contribute directly to their cuticular hydrocarbon  profile. The mandibular gland secretion composition and cuticular surface  compounds of newly emerged worker bees, nurse bees, and foragers were  determined by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry and compared. Both the  mandibular gland secretions and the cuticular surface compounds of all worker  stages were found to be composed almost exclusively of hydrocarbons. Although  the relative proportion of hydrocarbons from the cuticular surface and gland  secretion was statistically different, there was a high similarity in the  qualitative composition between these structures in all groups of bees.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, SP, Brasil. cclandim@rc.unesp.br
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cruz-Landim
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ferreira-Caliman
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Gracioli-Vitti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zucchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons