DoesTribolium brevicornisCuticular Chemistry Deter Cannibalism and Predation of Pupae?

Abstract

The cuticular hydrocarbons of insects are species-specific and often function as semiochemicals. The activity of Tribolium brevicornis cuticular hydrocarbons as feeding deterrents that ostensibly function to prevent pupal cannibalism and predation was evaluated. The cuticular hydrocarbons of T. brevicornis pupae were characterized and flour disk bioassays conducted with individual and combined extract components incorporated into artificial diets on which Tribolium adults fed for six days. Feeding by T. brevicornis and T. castaneum on flour disks containing cuticular extracts of T. brevicornis pupae resulted in reduced consumption and weight loss relative to feeding on control flour disks. In both cases, feeding deterrence indices exceeded 80% suggesting that T. brevicornis cuticular hydrocarbons could function to deter cannibalism and predation of pupae by larvae and adult beetles. Sixteen different cuticular hydrocarbons were identified in T. brevicornis pupal extracts. Eight of the commercially available linear alkanes were tested individually in feeding trials with eight Tribolium species. One compound (C28) significantly reduced the amount of food consumed by three species compared to control disks, whereas the compounds C25, C26, and C27 elicited increased feeding in some species. Four other compounds had no effect on consumption for any species. When four hydrocarbon mixtures were tested for synergistic deterrence on T. brevicornis and T. castaneum, none significantly influenced consumption. Our results indicate that the cuticular chemistry of T. brevicornis pupae could serve to deter predation by conspecific and congeneric beetles.

Identification of taste receptors and proteomic characterization of the antenna and legs of Tribolium brevicornis, a stored food product pest

“…Previous studies explored cannibalism and predation in seven Tribolium species, and examined the potential function of cuticular hydrocarbons as a chemical deterrent to cannibalism and predation behaviour (Alabi et al ., , , ). Results from our laboratory indicated Tribolium spp .…”

“…One of the most intriguing Tribolium beetle behaviours is cannibalism, and a number of studies have investigated this attribute (Alabi et al ., ; , ; Alabi, ). Cannibalism and predation are widespread among Tribolium species, and have been well described (Park et al ., , ; Stevens, ; Alabi et al ., ).…”

Behavioral and antennal electrophysiological responses of a predator ant to the pygidial gland secretions of two species of Neotropical dung roller beetles

“…The fact that the ants are repelled when their antennae contact the bodies of the beetles, also suggests that other compounds that are not volatile, or not as volatile as those found in the pygidial glands of the beetles also have an effect during the attack of the ants. Alabi et al (2011) found that the cuticular compounds of Tribolium brevicornis pupae could deter predation by conspecific and congeneric beetles.…”

Peer Review #2 of "Cuticle hydrocarbons in saline aquatic beetles (v0.1)"

“…Manuscript to be reviewed composition and their functions have been carried out on terrestrial insects (e.g. Blomquist & Jackson, 1979;Lockey, 1980;Alabi et al, 2011;Pattanayak et al, 2014;Stiziano et al, 2015, Rajpurohit et al, 2017, whereas among aquatic ones, CHC profiles have only been described for some freshwater dytiscids (Jacob & Hanssen, 1986;Alarie et al, 1998). On the other hand, CHCs show a significant degree of plasticity conferring a notable intraspecific variability (Howard & Blomquist, 1982;Gibbs & Rajpurohit 2010).…”