| Title: | Flight initiation by male Rhodnius prolixus is promoted by female odors |
| Author(s): | Zacharias CA; Pontes GB; Lorenzo MG; Manrique G; |
| Address: | "Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biologia Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-010-9779-1 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-1561 (Electronic) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Several triatomine bug species utilize chemical cues for sexual communication. We tested whether female or male Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease, produce volatile chemicals that elicit flight responses from conspecifics, and then isolated the source of the chemical. Males confronted with an airstream containing female odors showed a significantly greater take-off frequency compared to a blank airstream or an airstream with male odors. In contrast, females exhibited similar take-off frequencies to male or female odor as to a clean airstream. Occlusion of female metasternal glands with paraffin wax resulted in a significant decrease in male take-off frequency compared to that of intact females. Additionally, excised female metasternal glands elicited a similar take-off frequency from males as did intact females, both significantly greater than the take-off frequency to clean air. These results show that R. prolixus females release a pheromone from their metasternal glands that causes upwind flight in conspecific males" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Female *Flight, Animal Insect Vectors/physiology Male *Odorants Rhodnius/*physiology Sex Attractants/*physiology;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineZacharias, Claudia A Pontes, Gina B Lorenzo, Marcelo G Manrique, Gabriel eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2010/03/31 J Chem Ecol. 2010 Apr; 36(4):449-51. doi: 10.1007/s10886-010-9779-1. Epub 2010 Mar 30" |
