--------------------------------------------- # Data for "Effects of Azteca trigona alarm pheromones on heterospecific ant behavior" Preferred citation (DataCite format): Wells, Rachel; Frost, Christopher; Yanoviak, Stephen (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 Authors: Christopher Frost, University of Arizona, cjfrost@email.arizona.edu Stephen Yanoviak, University of Louisville, steve.yanoviak@louisville.edu License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25422/azu.data.13963886 --------------------------------------------- ## Summary Data and video files of behavioral responses of Canopy ant species individuals to volatile odors of Azteca trigona ants or control ambient air collected at Barro Colorado Island in Panama. Two videos provide a general examples of the experimental arena and protocol, and the difference between responses to control air and A. trigona headspace air. The single .csv file provides the specific behavioral responses of the individual ants observed and recorded during the behavioral trials. 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. --------------------------------------------- ## Files and Folders #### Wells_etal_Behavior_Trials_High_sample_sizes.csv: Behavioral Responses of Ants #### Video_examples.zip: Short videos of behavioral responses of Pseudomyrmex boopis workers to control air and odors - `P_boopis_ctrl.mov` shows a single P.boopis response to control air - `P_boopis_tmt.mov` shows a single P.boopis response to Azteca trigona odors #### 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 Wells_etal_Behavior_Trials_High_sample_sizes.csv: {Odor.Source}_{Species.Tested}_{Individual.Tested}_{Subfamily.Tested}_{Response}_{Behavior} - {Odor.Source} The source of air that was inserted into behavior chambers; Azteca trigona indicates air from a vial of disturbed Azteca trigona workers; Control indicates ambient air. - {Species.Tested} Species of Ant exposed to the odor source - {Individual.Tested} The ant ID from which responses were collected - {Subfamily.Tested} The subfamily identity of the individual ant tested - {Response} "1" are individuals that exhibited behavioral responses; "0" are individuals that did not exhibit behavioral responses - {Behavior} Blanks are individuals that showed no behavioral changes; "AG" are individuals that increased antennation speeds and mandible flared; "AM" are individuals that showed changes in antennation speed and flared mandibles; "AMG" are individuals that showed increased antennation speeds, flared mandibles, and gaster-flagged; "Ant" are individuals that showed changes in antennation speed; "Gast" are individuals that gaster-flagged; "Mand" are individuals that mandible flared; "MG" are individuals that flared mandibles and gaster flagged; "RA" are individuals that exhibited changes in running and antennation speeds; "RAM" are individuals that exhibited changes in running and antennation speeds and flared mandibles; "RAG" are individuals that changed running and antennating speeds and gaster-flagged; "RAMG" are individuals that changed running and antennating speeds, flared mandibles, and gaster-flagged; "RG" are individuals that changed running speeds and gaster-flagged; "RM" are individuals that mandible flared and exhibited changes in running speeds; "Run" are individuals that exhibited changes in running speeds 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. --------------------------------------------- ## Materials & Methods - Agilent MassHunter GC/MS Translator (version B.07.03 2127). Used to generate the `.nc` and `.ms` files.