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# Data for "Effects of Azteca trigona alarm pheromones on heterospecific ant behavior"

Preferred citation (DataCite format):

  Frost, Christopher; Yanoviak, Stephen; Wells, Rachel (2021).
  Data for "Effects of Azteca trigona alarm pheromones on heterospecific ant behavior".
  University of Arizona Research Data Repository.
  Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25422/azu.data.13963886


Corresponding Author:   
  Christopher Frost, University of Arizona, cjfrost@email.arizona.edu


License:
  CC BY-NC-SA 4.0


DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.25422/azu.data.13963886



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## Summary

Data files of headspace samples of Canopy ant species collected at Barro
Colorado Island in Panama, collected on volatile collection filters.  
Each volatile collection filter was eluted with 150 μl dichloromethane
containing 10 ng/μl nonyl acetate as an internal standard. Eluted samples were
then analyzed with an Agilent 7890B Gas Chromatograph (Agilent Technologies,
Santa Clara, CA, USA) in splitless mode with an inlet temperature of 250°C.
The initial oven temperature was 35°C for sample injection and then increased
15°C per minute to 250°C with helium as a carrier gas at an average velocity
of 22.5 cm s -1 . Samples were resolved on an Agilent DB-5 column (30 m
length, 0.25 mm diameter, with a built-in 10 m DuraGuard pre-column). Volatile
analytes were detected with an Agilent 5977A Mass Spectrometer with an EI ion
source with the MS in scanning mode (50-550 m/z) and transfer line and ion
source temperatures set at 230°C and 150°C.  
The data were originally analyzed in the native Agilent file format (.D) using
Mass Hunter software and converted to netCDF and MS formats specifically for
upload to a public repository for portability. Included with the biological
samples are the original .D files and three blank samples.



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## Files and Folders

#### biological_samples_netCDF_and_MS_formats.zip: Biological sample files of Canopy ant species
- `.nc` files sample ported from Agilent MassHunter original runs
- `.ms` files sample ported from Agilent MassHunter original runs (same content as the `.nc` files)

#### biological_samples_D_format.zip: Biological sample files of Canopy ant species
- `.D` files from Agilent MassHunter original runs

#### blank_samples_netCDF_and_MS_formats.zip: Blank sample files
- `.nc` files sample ported from Agilent MassHunter original runs
- .ms files sample ported from Agilent MassHunter original runs (same content as the .nc files)

#### blank_samples_D_format.zip: Blank sample files
- `.D` files from Agilent MassHunter original runs

Naming convention for biological samples: {headspace}_{species}_{nest}_{CollectionID}_{FilterID}.{nc/.ms}
- {headspace} – All samples in this dataset are headspace samples collected from 20ml glass vials into which ants were placed.
- {species} – Species of Ant
- {nest} – The nest ID from which the ants were collected
- {CollectionID} – “F” are samples with ants; “A” are field collections with empty vials.
- {FilterID} – The ID of the individual VOC collection filter

Naming convention for blank samples: {std_blk#}.{nc/.ms}
 - {std_blk#} - “Standard blank”, numbers refer to different blank samples during the course of a GC run.



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## Materials & Methods

- Agilent MassHunter GC/MS Translator (version B.07.03 2127). Used to generate the `.nc` and `.ms` files.