| Title: | The Scent Chemistry of Heliconius Wing Androconia |
| Author(s): | Mann F; Vanjari S; Rosser N; Mann S; Dasmahapatra KK; Corbin C; Linares M; Pardo-Diaz C; Salazar C; Jiggins C; Schulz S; |
| Address: | "Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universitat Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany. Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK. Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK. Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK. Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Cra. 24 No 63C-69, Bogota D.C., 111221, Colombia. Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universitat Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany. stefan.schulz@tu-bs.de" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-017-0867-3 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-1561 (Electronic) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Neotropical Heliconius butterflies are members of various mimicry rings characterized by diverse colour patterns. In the present study we investigated whether a similar diversity is observed in the chemistry of volatile compounds present in male wing androconia. Recent research has shown that these androconia are used during courting of females. Three to five wild-caught male Heliconius individuals of 17 species and subspecies were analyzed by GC/MS. Most of the identified compounds originate from common fatty acids precursors, including aldehydes, alcohols, acetates or esters preferentially with a C(18) and C(20) chain, together with some alkanes. The compounds occurred in species-specific mixtures or signatures. For example, octadecanal is characteristic for H. melpomene, but variation in composition between the individuals was observed. Cluster analysis of compound occurrence in individual bouquets and analyses based on biosynthetic motifs such as functional group, chain length, or basic carbon-backbone modification were used to reveal structural patterns. Mimetic pairs contain different scent bouquets, but also some compounds in common, whereas sympatric species, both mimetic and non-mimetic, have more distinct compound compositions. The compounds identified here may play a role in mate choice thus helping maintain species integrity in a butterfly genus characterized by pervasive interspecific gene flow" |
| Keywords: | "Alcohols/analysis/metabolism Aldehydes/analysis/metabolism Animals Biological Mimicry Butterflies/chemistry/*physiology Female Male Odorants/analysis Pheromones/*analysis/metabolism *Sexual Behavior, Animal Species Specificity Volatile Organic Compounds/*;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineMann, Florian Vanjari, Sohini Rosser, Neil Mann, Sandra Dasmahapatra, Kanchon K Corbin, Chris Linares, Mauricio Pardo-Diaz, Carolina Salazar, Camilo Jiggins, Chris Schulz, Stefan eng QDN-DG001/FIUR/ SpeciationGenetics/European Research Council/International 2017/08/10 J Chem Ecol. 2017 Sep; 43(9):843-857. doi: 10.1007/s10886-017-0867-3. Epub 2017 Aug 8" |
