1966] 
Blum and Portocarrero — Chemical Releasers 
155 
duces some natural products in its sting-associated glands which are 
also produced by members of the Myrmicinae. It is not unlikely 
that the natural products’ chemistry of the glands associated with 
the ant sting will continue to be characterized by the presence of 
common products, some of which are employed as trail substances. 
Under these circumstances we may anticipate that the Formicidae 
will continue to be a rich source of unsuspected trail substances 
whose specificities will be at best, unpredictable. 
SUMMARY 
Artificial trails prepared from the poison gland of Daceton armi- 
gerum (Latreille), a myrmicine which does not lay odor trails, cause 
trail following in attine species in the genera Trachymyrmex , Acro- 
myrmex , and Atta. An inquiline cockroach, Attaphila sp., also fol- 
lows trails prepared from the venom of Daceton. The poison gland 
secretion of Daceton apparently contains a trace constituent which is 
similar or identical to the odor trail pheromone used by these attine 
genera. An attine species in the genus Sericomyrmex responds 
neither to artificial Daceton trails nor the odor trail pheromones 
of Atta or Trachymyrmex. 
References 
Blum, M. S., J. C. Moser, and A. D. Cordero. 
1964. Chemical releasers of social behavior. II. Source and specificity 
of the odor trail substances in four attine genera. (Hymenoptera : 
Formicidae). Psyche 71: 1-7. 
Blum, M. S. and G. N. Ross. 
1965. Chemical releasers of social behaviour. V. Source, specificity and 
properties of the odour trail pheromone of T etramorium guineense 
(F.). Formicidae: Myrmicinae). J. Insect Physiol. 11: 857-868. 
Echolls, W. H. 
1965. Private communication. 
Moser, J. C. 
1964. Inquiline roach responds to trail-marking substance of leaf-cut- 
ting ants. Science 143: 1048-1049. 
Moser, J. C. and M. S. Blum. 
1963. Source and potency of the trail marking substance of the Texas 
leaf-cutting ant. Science 140: 1228. 
Weber, N. A. 
1966. Private communication. 
Wilson, E. O. 
1962. Behavior of Daceton armigerum (Latreille) with a classification 
of self-grooming movements in ants. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 
127: 403-421. 
Wilson, E. O. and M. Pavan. 
1959. Glandular sources and specificity of some chemical releasers of 
social behavior in dolichoderine ants. Psyche 66: 70-76. 
