Monoterpene Hydrocarbons in the Poison Gland Secretion of the Ant Myrmicaria natalensis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The occurrence of the monoterpene hydrocarbons, d-limonene and Z-limonene, in the poison gland secretion of Myrmicaria natalensis F. Smith (Grunanger et al. 1960) has made this ant unique among the Formicidae. No other ant species so far investigated has been reported to contain any monoterpene hydrocarbons in an exocrine secretion. In a brief study to determine whether M. natalensis collected in Natal, South Africa, also contained limonene, we found that the poison gland secretion of this species contained a number of additional terpenoid constituents. This report concerns the identification of these other components as additional monoterpene hydrocarbons.