| Title: | Mediation of a plant-spider association by specific volatile compounds |
| Author(s): | Nelson XJ; Pratt AJ; Cheseto X; Torto B; Jackson RR; |
| Address: | "School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand. ximena.nelson@canterbury.ac.nz" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-012-0175-x |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-1561 (Electronic) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Evarcha culicivora, an East African jumping spider (Salticidae), is the only spider for which there is evidence of innate olfactory affinity for particular plant species. Evarcha culicivora also actively chooses as preferred prey the females of Anopheles mosquitoes, and both sexes of Anopheles are known to visit plants for nectar meals. Here, we identified compounds present in the headspace of one of these species in Kenya, Lantana camara, and then used 11 of these compounds in olfactometer experiments. Our findings show that three terpenes [(E)-beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene and 1,8 cineole] can be discriminated by, and are salient to, E. culicivora. The spiders experienced no prior training with plants or the compounds we used. This is the first experimental demonstration of specific phytochemicals being innately attractive to a spider, a group normally characterized as predators" |
| Keywords: | Animals Cues Environment Female Lantana/*chemistry Male Spiders/*drug effects Volatile Organic Compounds/*analysis/*pharmacology; |
| Notes: | "MedlineNelson, Ximena J Pratt, Andrew J Cheseto, Xavier Torto, Baldwyn Jackson, Robert R eng R01-AI077722/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2012/08/24 J Chem Ecol. 2012 Sep; 38(9):1081-92. doi: 10.1007/s10886-012-0175-x. Epub 2012 Aug 23" |
