| Title: | The insect ovipositor as a volatile sensor within a closed microcosm |
| Address: | "Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India. Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India renee@ces.iisc.ernet.in" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1477-9145 (Electronic) 0022-0949 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "We show that the insect ovipositor is an olfactory organ that responds to volatiles and CO(2) in gaseous form. We demonstrate this phenomenon in parasitic wasps associated with Ficus racemosa where ovipositors, as slender as a human hair, drill through the syconium (enclosed inflorescences) and act as a guiding probe to locate highly specific egg-laying sites hidden inside. We hypothesize that olfaction will occur in the ovipositors of insects such as parasitic fig wasps where the hosts are concealed and volatile concentrations can build up locally. Relevant stimuli such as herbivore-induced fig volatiles and CO(2) elicited electrophysiological responses from the ovipositors. Silver nitrate staining also revealed pores in ovipositor sensilla, indicating their olfactory nature. Insects could use volatile sensors on their ovipositors to evaluate ecologically relevant stimuli for oviposition. Further investigations on the sensory nature of ovipositors can provide designs for development of ovipositor-inspired micro-chemosensors" |
| Keywords: | Animals Carbon Dioxide/metabolism Female Ficus/parasitology Oviposition/physiology Sensilla/physiology Sensory Receptor Cells/physiology Volatile Organic Compounds/metabolism Wasps/anatomy & histology/*physiology/ultrastructure Carbon dioxide Electrophysi; |
| Notes: | "MedlineYadav, Pratibha Borges, Renee M eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2017/05/05 J Exp Biol. 2017 May 1; 220(Pt 9):1554-1557. doi: 10.1242/jeb.152777" |
