(3Z,6Z,8E)-3,6,8-DODECATRIEN-1-OL - SEX-PHEROMONE IN A HIGHER FUNGUS-GROWING TERMITE, PSEUDACANTHOTERMES-SPINIGER (ISOPTERA, MACROTERMITINAE)

The female sex pheromone of the fungus-growing termite Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) was isolated from sternal glands of alates. The compound inducing attraction and excitation in males was identified as the (3Z,6Z,8E)-3,6,8-dodecatrien-1-ol by GC-MS, microhydrogenation, GC-FRIR, and NMR. This unsaturated alcohol is present in both sexes but in much higher quantities in females than in males (about 10 times). The hypothesis is suggested that this alcohol, which is detected at extremely low concentrations by the workers of P. spiniger, may be used either as a trail-following pheromone or a sex pheromone according to concentrations and to target castes. The presence of this alcohol in Macrotermitinae reinforces the idea of a phylogenetic proximity between this subfamily of higher termites and the lower termites Rhinotermitidae, where the unsaturated alcohol was previously found. The sternal glands of alates of P. spiniger also contain a geometric isomer of (3Z,6Z,8E)-3,6,8-dodecatrien-1-ol.