Title: | Evidence for four-component close-range sex pheromone in the parasitic wasp Glyptapanteles flavicoxis |
Author(s): | Danci A; Gries R; Schaefer PW; Gries G; |
Address: | "Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada" |
DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-006-9068-1 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0098-0331 (Print) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Females of the parasitic wasp Glyptapanteles flavicoxis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) deposit a close-range sex pheromone from their abdominal tip that attracts conspecific males and elicits wing-fanning behavior. In this study, we isolated the pheromone components and determined their role in the males' behavior. In coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analyses of the females' body extract, four components (below GC detection) elicited strong responses from male antennae. Monitored by GC-EAD, the components were separated by flash silica gel and high-performance liquid chromatography. Y-tube olfactometer experiments with one or more components revealed that all are necessary to elicit short-range attraction and wing-fanning responses by males. These components remained below detection threshold of the mass spectrometer (approximately 10 pg) even when 4500 female equivalents were analyzed in a single injection, which attests to the potency of the pheromone and the insects' sensitivity to it" |
Keywords: | "Animals Chromatography, Gas/methods Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods Female Male Sex Attractants/*isolation & purification Wasps/chemistry/*physiology;" |
Notes: | "MedlineDanci, Adela Gries, Regine Schaefer, Paul W Gries, Gerhard eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2006/05/24 J Chem Ecol. 2006 Jul; 32(7):1539-54. doi: 10.1007/s10886-006-9068-1. Epub 2006 May 23" |