Title: | Pre-exposure modulates attraction to sex pheromone in a moth |
Author(s): | Anderson P; Sadek MM; Hansson BS; |
Address: | "Division of Chemical Ecology, Department of Crop Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 44, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden. peter.anderson@w.slu.se" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0379-864X (Print) 0379-864X (Linking) |
Abstract: | "In behavioural experiments we investigated the influence of previous short exposure to sex pheromone on subsequent response of male Spodoptera littoralis moths to sex pheromone. We found that pre-exposed males showed increased sensitivity to female sex pheromone after a single exposure to a pheromone plume compared to that found in naive males. The increased responsiveness lasted for at least 27 h after the exposure, showing that it was not just a short-term sensitization of the males. Exposure to the odour source without upwind movement towards the source was enough to increase the responsiveness. Physical activation without exposure to odour did not affect responsiveness. The increase in responsiveness after exposure was higher when the males were pre-exposed to natural female pheromone gland extract than when they were exposed to a higher dose of the main component, even though both odour sources elicited similar upwind attraction in naive males. Thus, the quality of the pheromone mixture to which males were exposed influenced the subsequent response" |
Keywords: | "Age Factors Animals Female Locomotion Male Moths/drug effects/*physiology Motor Activity *Odorants Sex Attractants/pharmacology/*physiology Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects Spodoptera/physiology;" |
Notes: | "MedlineAnderson, P Sadek, M M Hansson, B S eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2003/05/29 Chem Senses. 2003 May; 28(4):285-91. doi: 10.1093/chemse/28.4.285" |