Epicuticular Factors Involved in Host Recognition for the Aphid Parasitoid Aphidius rhopalosiphi |
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Authors: | Frédéric Muratori Anne Le Ralec Georges Lognay Thierry Hance |
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Affiliation: | (1) Unité d'écologie et biogéographie, Centre de recherche sur la biodiversité, Université catholique de Louvain, 4 Place Croix du sud, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium;(2) UMR INRA—Agrocampus Rennes Bio3P, 65, rue de Saint-Brieuc, 35042 Rennes, Cedex, France;(3) Unité de Chimie Analytique, Faculté Universitaire des sciences agronomiques de Gembloux, 2, Passage des Déportés, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium |
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Abstract: | In insect parasitoids, fitness is dependent on the host finding and recognition abilities of the female. Host recognition cues have been described for various host–parasitoid systems, but are still under investigation in aphid parasitoids. Our study aimed to clarify the respective role of physical and chemical cues in recognition of the aphid cuticle. Shed aphid exuviae were used as an elicitor in order to avoid any influence of color, movement, or volatiles present in a living aphid. We assessed the effect of chemical and heat treatments on the texture of the cuticle by using scanning electron microscopy and tested the recognition of treated cuticles by the parasitoid. We showed that recognition cues of the cuticle can be removed chemically (using combined treatments with n-hexane and methanol). Moreover, heat treatment destroyed the physical texture of the cuticle without significantly reducing parasitoid recognition. In a second step, we showed that epicuticular extracts deposited on pieces of paper triggered female attack behavior. First results concerning the chemical composition of the active extract are presented. This study shows that chemical compounds extractable by organic solvents mediate cuticle recognition by aphid parasitoids. |
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Keywords: | Cuticular kairomones chemical cues oviposition behavior Aphidiinae Sitobion avenae cuticular hydrocarbons wax esters |
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