Competition Among Courting Male Moths: Male-to-Male Inhibitory Pheromone

The behavioral function of a pheromone released by males of the army-worm moth Pseudaletia unipuncta was investigated both in laboratory wind-tunnel experiments and in experiments with moth-baited traps in the field. Such male moth scents have been thought to act at close range as sexual stimulants for females of the same species. However, the only obvious effect of the P. unipuncta male pheromone was upon other males, decreasing their tendency to approach sexually receptive, pheromone-releasing females and to exhibit copulatory behavior when near those females. The adaptive significance of the male pheromone may be related to the increased reproductive efficiency that results if multiple males are prevented from competing for a single female.     

棉大卷叶野螟雌虫性信息素对雄虫的诱集作用

为生物防治棉大卷叶野螟提供科学依据,研究棉大卷叶螟雌虫性信息素对雄虫的诱集作用,在野外和室内用棉大卷叶野螟雌虫及其性信息素提取物对雄虫进行诱集试验.研究发现:1～7日龄雌成虫及相应日龄雌成虫性信息素提取物随着日龄的增高,对雄蛾的引诱力逐渐降低;随着距离的加大,其诱集作用亦逐渐下降;1～7日龄雌成虫性信息素提取物对雄成虫...     

加拿大杨枝把田间诱蛾效果观察

比较了加拿大杨(Populuscanadensis)枝把、棉铃虫性诱剂、高压汞灯在田间对棉铃虫(Helicoverpaarmigera)的引诱效果。结果表明,加拿大杨枝把在田间以诱集棉铃虫雌蛾为主,所诱棉铃虫雌、雄性比为1.61。加拿大杨枝把日诱雄蛾量与日诱雌蛾量呈显著正相关,与性诱剂日诱雄蛾量、高压汞灯日诱雄蛾量相关性不显著。每日棉铃虫百株落卵量与加拿大杨枝把、高压汞灯日诱蛾量呈显著正相关,与性诱剂日诱蛾量无显著相关性。讨论了加拿大杨枝把在田间引诱棉铃虫的机理。     

Identification of the female Japanese beetle sex pheromone: inhibition of male response by an enantiomer

(Z)-5-(1-Decenyl)dihydro-2(3H)-furanone, isolated from virgin female Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) attracted males of the species infield bioassays. However, the synthesized racemic mixture of this compound did not attract male Japanese beetles. The Z and E isomers and the saturated analog of both enantiomers of this compound were synthesized stereospecifically. Pure synthetic (R,Z)-5-(1-decenyl)dihydro-2(3H)-furanone was competitive with live females and with the pheromone isolated from live females in attracting males. Male response was strongly inhibited by small amounts of the S,Z isomer. Although the E isomer and the saturated analog of the pheromone are present in the material obtained from females, the role of these compounds in mediating the insect's behavior is unclear.     

Genetic consequences of mate choice: a quantitative genetic method for testing sexual selection theory

To investigate whether female mate choice could be directed at male genetic quality, male chemical signals and progeny fitness were studied in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum). Differences among males in the attractiveness of their pheromone to females were statistically significant. Developmental time of progeny was significantly heritable, indicating that some males have "good genes" for this trait. There was no statistically significant correlation between progeny fitness and male attractiveness. These results do not support the hypothesis that in this species the evolution of female preferences for male pheromone is adaptive.     

铜绿金龟甲性信息素分泌部位和提取的研究

对铜绿金龟甲雌虫虫体的四个部位的二氯甲烷分段提取物进行生物活性测定发现,雌虫能够释放性信息素,并引起雄虫多种反应。组织染色切片发现,在羽化初期雌虫直肠细胞有分泌现象。超薄切片观察到,分泌期直肠细胞线粒体减少,内质网增多,脂滴大量积累于细胞顶端,并有相当一部分已分泌出细胞之外。据此认为,铜绿金龟甲属于信息素分泌的非专一腺体类型的昆虫。     

Pheromonally induced sexual maturation in females: regulation by the social environment of the male

Social subordination, which suppresses gonadal function in juvenile and adult male house mice, also suppresses the activity of an androgen-dependent urinary pheromone that accelerates the rate of sexual maturation in juvenile females. Pheromone production may also be suppressed by the presence of pregnant or lactating females. This suggests that the social environment may influence the fertility of population females by altering urinary pheromone activity in the male.     

Estrus-inducing pheromone of male mice: transport by movement of air

The proportion of female SJL/J mice exhibiting estrus whet 2 meters downwind (6 meters per minute) from a group of 15 hybrid mi not significantly less than that of females placed directly under the males posed to their urine. The proportion of mice showing estrus when placed 2 upwind was significantly less than that of mice downwind or of mice beloii but not different from that of females remote from males. These findings sh the pheromone from male mice is volatile and further support the concep, acts through olfactory receptors.     

青杨脊虎天牛成虫交配行为及化学通讯方式

对青杨脊虎天牛(Xylotrechus rusticus Linnaeus)成虫交配行为的观察和Y型管生测仪的生测研究表明,释放化学信息是引起青杨脊虎天牛成虫交尾的主要通讯方式.利用气相色谱-质谱联用对试虫正己烷提取物的定性检测,进一步证明了雌虫释放短距离性信息素,雄虫接触后释放较长距离挥发性物质的推断.雄虫释放的化学物质通过空气传递给雌虫,而后进行交尾.     

亚洲型舞毒蛾的羽化和生殖行为节律

为了探究亚洲型舞毒蛾(Lymantria dispar asiatica)的羽化和生殖昼夜节律,在自然光周期和温湿度条件下对亚洲型舞毒蛾成虫的羽化、求偶、交配及产卵行为进行了观察,并利用触角电位反应测定了处女雌蛾性信息素的合成量与日龄之间的关系。结果表明:亚洲型舞毒蛾雌蛾在化蛹后11 d,雄蛾在化蛹后12 d分别出现羽化高峰;雌雄蛾的羽化行为均发生在光期前2 h(02:00)至暗期3 h(21:00),雄蛾羽化高峰期为光期6 h(09:00),较雌蛾(11:00)提前2 h。雌蛾羽化约2 h后开始求偶,1日龄雌蛾的求偶率随时间的推移逐渐上升,而其他日龄的雌蛾仅在光周期开始后的1 h内求偶率降至当日最低(75%),其余时间达到或接近100%;2日龄雌蛾体内的性信息素合成量最高,以后逐日下降。成虫羽化当日即可交尾,室内交尾高峰期发生在光期11 h(14:00)左右,次高峰出现在暗期6 h(00:00)。产卵高峰期发生在光期3 h(06:00)左右,次高峰出现在暗期2 h(20:00)。综上可见,亚洲型舞毒蛾成虫的羽化和生殖行为存在明显的昼夜节律。     

Pheromone Concentration as a Mechanism for Reproductive Isolation between Two Lepidopterous Species

Pheromone-releasing females of the closely related noctuid moths Trichoplusia ni and Autographa californica attract mainly males of their own species. Sex-pheromone-concentration specificity appears to be an important reproductive isolating mechanism for these two species. Apparently, both species utilize the same pheromone, cis-7-dodecenyl acetate, for mating communication, but T. ni utilizes a higher level than does A. californica. Traps releasing amounts of cis-7-dodecenyl acetate that are highly attractive for males of one of the species catch very few males of the other species.     

Pheromone source location by flying moths: a supplementary non-anemotactic mechanism

After the wind was stopped in an insect flight tunnel, male oriental fruit moths continued to fly in zigzag fashion along a stationary pheromone plume. Their lateral excursions from the time-averaged pheromone plume were no greater without wind than in wind of 38 centimeters per second. When the pheromone plume was removed and the wind stopped, males initiated wider track reversals when they reached the pheromone-free area in still air than they had made while in the pheromone plume. This non-anemotactic mechanism of maintaining plume contact-possibly a special kind of klinotaxis-when coupled with the orthokinetic retinal velocity of apparent ground pattern motion, allowed males to reach the pheromone source area from 1 to 2 meters away without wind.     

By Dawn's Early Light: Matutinal Mating and Sex Attractants in a Neotropical Mantid

Females of the neotropical mantis Acanthops falcata adopt a special posture at dawn which is maintained for about 20 minutes. During the same period, males fly strongly, even in the absence of females. Our studies show that in this posture females are secreting a pheromone that acts as a sex attractant. All sexual activity in this species normally occurs between dawn and sunrise. It can be triggered by any dark-to-light transition, irrespective of real time. This sexual periodicity is probably an antipredator adaptation.     

中国梨木虱冬型成虫性信息素成分的提取和GC-MS鉴定

通过鉴定中国梨木虱性信息素的成分,为进一步开发其性引诱剂提供基础资料.本试验利用正己烷分别提取梨木虱冬型雌、雄成虫体表浸提物,用Y型嗅觉仪测试了浸提物对中国梨木虱冬型雌和雄成虫行为反应的影响,并运用气相色谱-质谱联用仪对浸提物进行了分析和鉴定.雌虫浸提物对雄性梨木虱有较强的引诱作用,雄虫浸提物对雄木虱,雌、雄浸提物对雌木虱均无引诱作用,说明雌虫浸提物中含有雌木虱释放的性信息素.气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC-MS)分析结果表明,雌虫浸提物中13-甲基二十七烷和2-甲基二十七烷的含量多于雄虫浸提物中的含量.在保留时间为23.136 min时,雌虫浸提物出现色谱峰,而雄虫浸提物没有出峰.这3种化合物可能是中国梨木虱冬型雌成虫的性信息素成分.     

Male Esterase 6 Catalyzes the Synthesis of a Sex Pheromone in Drosophila melanogaster Females

Esterase 6, a component of the seminal fluid of Drosophila melanogaster males, hydrolyzes cis-vaccenyl acetate, a lipid made only by males, to cis-vaccenyl alcohol. This reaction occurs in the female reproductive tract and is virtually complete within 6 hours after copulation. Both the alcohol and the acetate decrease the number of matings among pairs of virgin flies in which the female is treated topically with these substances. Although females tested 10 minutes after copulation elicit less courtship than virgin females, females tested 6 hours after copulation stimulate even less courtship if they received active esterase 6 in the seminal fluid of their respective mates. Either the alcohol or a derivative appears to be an antiaphrodisiac that decreases courtship elicited by inseminated females and thus reduces the probability of further mating. Thus the activity of the pheromone depends on a final reaction which occurs in the female, using both substrate and enzyme provided by the male.     

粘虫不同迁飞世代雄蛾对性诱反应的田间观察

本试验对田间两个不同迁飞世代粘虫成虫的性诱反应作了观察,并且同其对糖醋液的趋性进行了比较。结果表明:迁入代雄蛾对性诱剂反应强烈,迁出代雄蛾对性诱剂基本上不反应。这种现象与迁入迁出世代中雌蛾在生殖滞育上存在显著差别相对应。因此,本文提出粘虫雄蛾存在类似于雌蛾的“生殖滞育”的可能性,并指出雄性“生殖滞育”对了解迁飞机理的意义。     

沙柳木蠹蛾性行为的生物学特性

沙柳木蠹蛾(Holcocerus arenicola staudinger)是为害沙柳(Salix psammophila)根部的一种钻蛀性害虫。通过对沙柳木蠹蛾羽化行为、性比和寿命的调查,对各日龄雌蛾求偶和交尾发生时间的统计分析,明确了沙柳木蠹蛾性行为的动态节律。结果表明:沙柳木蠹蛾在19:00～21:00羽化最为集中;雌雄性比平均为0.66∶1;成虫平均寿命4.8±2.2d,其中雌蛾的寿命稍高于雄蛾。雌蛾在进入暗期1～2h内求偶行为明显,最大求偶百分率出现在羽化后的第二晚。1日龄成虫的交配高峰在暗周期的前2h,而2～4日龄成虫的交配高峰是在暗期的1h内;交配持续的平均时间为38.41±11.42min。随着蛾龄的增大,雌虫的求偶和交配行为发生的时间提前。沙柳木蠹蛾的性活动高峰出现在羽化后连续3个暗周期的前半段,可作为利用性信息素防治沙柳木蠹蛾最佳时段的参考依据。     

Male Lek Formation and Female Calling in a Population of the Arctiid Moth Estigmene acrea

Abdominal coremata in male Estigmene acrea (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) are inflated and displayed in aggregations to which females and males are attracted and where mating occurs (leks). Female E. acrea also release a sex pheromone which attracts males. These two mating behaviors occur in the same populations at different peak times on the same nights. Thus male lek formation and female calling occur in the same species, and the male coremata, or related structures, appear to be integrally associated with lek behavior.     

Olfactory recognition: a simple memory system

Mice have an olfactory (pheromone) recognition memory located at the first relay in the sensory system. It is acquired with one-trial learning, contingent upon norepinephrine activation at mating, and lasts for several weeks. The mechanism involves Hebbian (association-dependent) changes in synaptic efficacy at dendrodendritic synapses in the accessory olfactory bulb. As a result of this memory, males made familiar by mating are recognized by the females, thereby mitigating pregnancy block. Such a memory function is biologically important to the female, as it is required to sustain pregnancy in the presence of her stud male's odors.     

Bark beetle conversion of a plant compound to a sex-specific inhibitor of pheromone attraction

Both sexes of the bark beetle Dendroctonus brevicomis convert the (+) and (-) enantiomers of the tree terpene alpha-pinene to the corresponding enantiomers of trans-verbenol at about equal rates. (-)-trans-Verbenol inhibited the response of females, but not of males, to a mixture of attractive pheromone components. Since the female initiates the attack on a pine tree, (-)-trans-verbenol may play a role in reducing intraspecific competition for breeding areas.