HIGH-PERFORMANCE GEL FILTRATION PATTERNS OF VENOMS FROM THREE SPECIES OF WASPS OF THE GENUS Polybia (HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE)

M. S. PALMA(1), M. F. MANZOLI-PALMA(1), N. GOBBI(2)

1 Department of Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, State of São Paulo, Brazil, 2 Department of Ecology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, State of São Paulo, Brazil.

ABSTRACT. The profiles of high-performance gel filtration of venoms from Polybia paulista, Polybia ignobilis and Polybia occidentalis occidentalis showed 13 peaks distributed among the three species. These profiles presented similarities that permitted the chromatographic characterization of the genus Polybia and differences that permitted the identification of each species studied. Thus, the comparative analysis of chromatographic profiles of high-performance gel filtration of venoms may be used as an auxiliary tool in taxonomic studies of Polybia wasps.

KEY WORDS: vespidae, chromatographic, sac of venom, Polybia.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

N. GOBBI - Departamento de Ecologia do Instituto de Biociências, Caixa Postal 199, CEP 13506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brasil.