Is It Possible to Obtain the Chemical Profile From Ethanol-Preserved Specimens? The Hydrocarbon and Fatty Acid Composition of the Social Wasp Polybia paulista (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Epiponini)

Author(s)

da Silva Cunha, Dayana Alves ^{[1, 2]} ; Telles Menezes, Rodolpho Santos ^{[3, 4]} ; Lima Cardoso, Claudia Andrea ^[2] ; Antonialli Junior, William Fernando ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Mato Grosso do Sul, Ctr Estudos Recursos Nat, Lab Ecol Comportamental, Dourados, MS - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Mato Grosso do Sul, Ctr Estudos Recursos Nat, Programa Posgrad Recursos Nat, Dourados, MS - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Santa Cruz, Dept Ciencias Biol, Ilheus, BA - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras FFCLRP, Dept Biol, Lab Biol Comparada & Abelhas, Av Bandeirantes 3900, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY; v. 50, n. 3, p. 580-588, JUN 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Cuticular hydrocarbons perform multiple functions in insects such as protecting against desiccation and pathogenic infection, and signaling interactions. Evaluation of cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of insects is commonly performed by extraction using a nonpolar solvent such as hexane. Specimens intended for CHC analysis are ideally handled by avoiding contact with solvents such as ethanol. However, insects are frequently stored in ethanol after collection, especially if intended for molecular analysis. To determine if it is possible that chemical compounds in the cuticles of specimens can withstand previous exposure to ethanol, we evaluated the efficiency of CHC extraction from specimens preserved in 95% ethanol. We extracted cuticular compounds from specimens of the social wasp Polybia paulista (Ihering) with no contact with ethanol solvents and compared them with those from specimens stored in 95% ethanol. We analyzed chemical composition from wasps and the 95% ethanol in which they had been stored by a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. In total, 56 compounds were detected: 50 that were classified as hydrocarbons which were mostly branched alkanes, followed by linear alkanes and alkenes. Three compounds were identified as fatty acids, and three compounds were unidentifiable. The ethanol-preserved specimens showed similar chemical profiles to those of specimens that had no contact with ethanol. Thus, we suggest that it is possible to study the chemical profiles of ethanol-preserved specimens. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/21098-7 - Bridging chromosomal evolution and diversification in neotropical swarm-founding wasps through phylogenomics
• Grantee: Rodolpho Santos Telles de Menezes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 15/02432-0 - Organization and chromosomal evolution of repetitive elements in genomes of social wasps
• Grantee: Rodolpho Santos Telles de Menezes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral