Alkaloids in the venom of Messor ants

Leopoldo Cruz-López, Brian D. Jackson, Abraham Hefetz, E. David Morgan*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tobacco alkaloids of the anabasine type have been found or confirmed in the venom of five species of arid-dwelling Messor ants. They are frequently accompanied by alkylpyrazines. Messor mediorubra contains four alkaloids, with anabasine the major component and also minor pyrazines. Anabasine was found alone in the venom of Messor semirufus and confirmed in Messor ebeninus. Messor rugosus from Tel Aviv contained a mixture of alkaloids and pyrazines, but those from Ein Yahav contained 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, some 2-phenylethylamine, and N-ethylidene 2-phenylethylamine. Messor arenarius is confirmed as having a complex but variable mixture of alkaloids and pyrazines.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)199-204
Number of pages6
JournalBiochemical Systematics and Ecology
Volume34
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2006

Keywords

  • Messor arenarius
  • Messor ebeninus
  • Messor mediorubra
  • Messor rugosus
  • Messor semirufus

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