Isolation and identification of the trail pheromone of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

IRG/WP 1459

M Tokoro, M Takahashi, R Yamaoka

The trail pheromone was successfully isolated from whole body extract of the termite Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe) through various chromatographic reactions. Its trail-following activity was examined by bioassays. The primary structure of the pheromone was determined as normal chain dodecatrien-1-ol by capillary GC-MS analysis. Moreover, by means of capillary GC-MS and capillary GC-FTIR analyses after acetylation, partial hydrogenation and ozonolysis, the complete structure of the trail pheromone was determined as cis-3,cis-6,trans-8-dodecatrien-1-ol. As the amount of the trail pheromone per individual was considered extraordinarily small, it was hypothesized that the pheromone might be stored in the termite in the form of a precursor. The substance produced by hydrolysis of the inactive fractions obtained from silica gel column chromatography showed high trail-following activity, approximately 20 times as high as the original extract. Both of the chromatographic behavior and chemical properties of the hydrolyzed product corresponded to those of the native trail pheromone, which led to the conclusion that these two substances were identical. The fact suggest that the trail pheromone was stored in the form of precursor-like substance.


Keywords: RETICULITERMES SPERATUS; ISOPTERA; RHINOTERMITIDAE; SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES; TRAIL PHEROMONE; ISOLATION; PRECURSOR; IDENTIFICATION; CIS-3,CIS-6,TRANS-8-DODECATRIEN-1-OL

Conference: 90-05-13/18 Rotorua, New Zealand


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