Electrophysiological and chemical analysis of sex pheromone communication system of the mottled umber,Erannis defoliaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Abstract

(Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-nonadecatriene (Z3,Z6,Z9-19Hy) and (Z,Z)-3,9-cis-6,7-epoxy-nonadecadiene (Z3,Z9-cis-6,7-epo-19Hy) were identified in pheromone gland extracts from femaleErannis defoliaria. The two components were found in a 1∶3 ratio, with the main component,Z3,Z9-cis-6,7-epo-19Hy present at an amount of about 1.5 ng per female. The components were identified by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-electroantennography and gas chromatography-single sensillum recordings. Single sensillum measurements on the male antenna showed two physiological types of sensilla. One type was characterized by a large spike amplitude cell responding toZ3,Z9-cis-6,7-epoxy-19Hy and a small spike amplitude cell responding toZ3,Z6,Z9-19Hy. A second type responded only with a large spike amplitude cell to the epoxide, and this cell was inhibited by the triene. Of the two pheromone components, the epoxide gave the higher response in the EAG tests. Preliminary field tests support the identification of the pheromone components. The epoxide was also found to be present in the extract of the pheromone gland ofColotois pennaria, and males ofC. pennaria andAgriopis marginaria were trapped by the mixture of the identified compounds.

Detection of Illicit Drugs by Trained Honeybees (Apis mellifera)

“…Similarly, the cockroach antennae only reacted to amphetamine and caffeine. The amphetamine response occurred at 100% but not 16% suggesting we had either reached the detection threshold or that the cutting agents caused some form of receptor inhibition, as previously suggested [22]. If the cockroach antennae detect low amounts of amphetamine, whole insects could be used as a conditioned biosensor, similar to the method used to interpret the learning skills of restrained/immobilized Periplaneta americana cockroaches by monitoring their antennal movements [23].…”

Equations for nickel–chromium wire heaters of column transfer lines in gas chromatographic–electroantennographic detection (GC–EAD)

“…The GC-EAD and GC-sensillum methods are used in many chemical ecology laboratories to identify insect pheromones and stimulatory plant volatiles (Arn et al, 1975;Baker et al, 1991;Barata et al, 2000;Hansson et al, 1990;Henning and Teuber, 1992;Löfstedt et al, 1982;Schlyter et al, 2000;Van Der Pers and Löfstedt, 1983;Zhang et al, 2002). The GC-sensillum has also been used to identify chemicals in mammalian odors that are attractive to ticks and sandflies (Dougherty et al, 1999;Steullet and Guerin, 1994).…”

“…Background electronic noise, weak signals due to a minimal number of insect receptors for a particular component, and co-eluting quantities of weakly excitatory chemicals can mask and confound the isolation of semiochemicals. Some receptors that respond to a pheromone component are inhibited by similar compounds (Hansson et al, 1990). Thus, the elution of an inhibitor immediately before a stimulant might adversely affect the EAD signal.…”

“…The EAD consists of an antenna placed between two electrodes from which an amplified signal is recorded by computer software. Instead of using the whole antenna, recording can also be made from single sensilla (Dougherty et al, 1999;Hansson et al, 1990;Steullet and Guerin, 1994;Van Der Pers and Löfstedt, 1983). Usually the GC column effluent is split between the flame ionization detector (FID) and the EAD using a glass "Y-tube" splitter.…”

Ultrastructure of antennal sensilla of Erannis ankeraria Staudinger (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

“…The field management of E. ankeraria consists of pesticides and equivalent annual net present value (Sun et al, ; You, ; Zhang, Zhang, Zhou, & Zhou, ). Sex pheromones were used on mottled umber ( E. defoliaria Clerck, 1759) (Hansson et al, ; Szöcs et al, ) and E. bajaria Schiffermüller, 1775 (Goller, Szöcs, Francke, & Schulz, ), while further research on E. ankeraria is still needed. In this article, we reported sensilla on antennae of mature female and male E. ankeraria using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), analyzed sexual dimorphism, and discussed potential function related to structure.…”