| Title: | Identification and Composition of Clasper Scent Gland Components of the Butterfly Heliconius erato and Its Relation to Mimicry |
| Author(s): | Ehlers S; Szczerbowski D; Harig T; Stell M; Hotling S; Darragh K; Jiggins CD; Schulz S; |
| Address: | "Technische Universitat Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany. Department of Evolution and Ecology, Storer Hall University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA. Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ, Cambridge, UK" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1439-7633 (Electronic) 1439-4227 (Print) 1439-4227 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The butterfly Heliconius erato occurs in various mimetic morphs. The male clasper scent gland releases an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone and additionally contains a complex mixture of up to 350 components, varying between individuals. In 114 samples of five different mimicry groups and their hybrids 750 different compounds were detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Many unknown components occurred, which were identified using their mass spectra, gas chromatography/infrared spectroscopy (GC/IR)-analyses, derivatization, and synthesis. Key compounds proved to be various esters of 3-oxohexan-1-ol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol with (S)-2,3-dihydrofarnesoic acid, accompanied by a large variety of other esters with longer terpene acids, fatty acids, and various alcohols. In addition, linear terpenes with up to seven uniformly connected isoprene units occur, e. g. farnesylfarnesol. A large number of the compounds have not been reported before from nature. Discriminant analyses of principal components of the gland contents showed that the iridescent mimicry group differs strongly from the other, mostly also separated, mimicry groups. Comparison with data from other species indicated that Heliconius recruits different biosynthetic pathways in a species-specific manner for semiochemical formation" |
| Keywords: | Animals Butterflies/*metabolism Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Pheromones/chemistry/*metabolism Scent Glands/chemistry/*metabolism Gc/ir biosynthesis pheromones terpenoids volatile esters; |
| Notes: | "MedlineEhlers, Stephanie Szczerbowski, Daiane Harig, Tim Stell, Matthew Hotling, Susan Darragh, Kathy Jiggins, Chris D Schulz, Stefan eng Schu984/12-1/Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Germany 2021/09/22 Chembiochem. 2021 Dec 2; 22(23):3300-3313. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202100372. Epub 2021 Oct 8" |
