Mechanism and Behavioral Context of Male Sex Pheromone Release in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nasonia vitripennis</Emphasis> |
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Authors: | Sven Steiner Joachim Ruther |
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Affiliation: | 1.Institut für Biologie,Freie Universit?t Berlin,Berlin,Germany |
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Abstract: | Males of the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) attract virgin females by releasing a sex pheromone composed of (4R,5R)- and (4R,5S)-5-hydroxy-4-decanolide (HDL). The pheromone is biosynthesized in the rectal vesicle of males. In the present study, we investigated
the mechanism and behavioral context of pheromone release, and determined the range of activity and the longevity of the chemical
signal. Our data show that the sex pheromone of N. vitripennis is substrate-borne and is deposited on surfaces by dabbing movements of the abdominal tip, a behavior previously described
in N. vitripennis males as ‘abdomen dipping’. Chemical markings deposited by a single male were highly attractive to virgin females. Chemical
analyses revealed the presence of HDL in surface washings of marked areas, and HDL amounts correlated with male marking activity.
Pheromone deposition occurred spontaneously without any additional cues being present, but marking intensity increased greatly
after copulation or after a single contact with a virgin female. In contrast, marking intensity was not influenced by the
presence of host puparia. Male pheromone deposits were perceived by females in a still-air olfactometer at distances of up
to 4.5 cm and remained attractive for at least 2 h. The function of the substrate-borne sex pheromone is discussed with respect
to the mating system of N. vitripennis. |
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Keywords: | Sexual communication Abdomen dipping Substrate-borne Mate finding Pteromalidae Parasitic wasp |
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