First Identification of a Putative Sex Pheromone in a Praying Mantid

Abstract

Praying mantids are models for a wide variety of behavioral, physiological, and ecological studies, and sex pheromones have been assumed to be important components of their biology. However, no mantid pheromone has ever been identified. We collected volatiles emitted by females of the mantid, Sphodromantis lineola, via solid phase microextraction (SPME). Mass spectral analysis revealed the collected volatiles to be a mixture of pentadecanal and tetradecanal. We prepared a synthetic mixture of these compounds, and found that males were both attracted to this mixture and stimulated to exhibit typical precopulatory behavior. We then examined male antennae with scanning electron microscopy, and confirmed the presence of porous antennal sensilla typical of insect pheromone receptors, i.e., that male mantids are equipped with the appropriate morphological apparatus to receive volatile chemical signals. Pheromones, in conjunction with visual and tactile cues, are thus an important feature of the reproductive biology of this, and undoubtedly other species of mantids. In addition to adding a crucial aspect of behavioral biology to our knowledge of this group, identification and synthesis of mantid pheromones may be a first step in attracting and aggregating these generalist predators for use in pest control.

Advanced morphology and behaviour of extinct earwig-like cockroaches (Blattida: Fuziidae fam. nov.)

“…This hypothesis is additionally supported by a recent discovery of similar sexual pheromones in mantises (Hurd et al 2004) and male accessory glands are found also in the lower termites (Weesner 1969).…”

Neocembrene A, a major component of the trail-following pheromone in the genus Prorhinotermes (Insecta, Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

“…We cannot therefore exclude the possibility that other components could act in synergy, although only neocembrene A was found to be on the surface of the sternal gland after SPME. SPME is without doubt a highly effective method for the study of the termite pheromones which are most often secreted in tiny quantities, but SPME fibers are not uniformly sensitive to all compounds (Hurd et al 2004), and some pheromonal compounds, such as, for example, sex pheromones of the fungus-growing termites M. annandalei and M. barneyi could not be extracted through this technique. Different reasons may be evoked to explain this phenomenon: for instance high volatility of the compound, or non-adsorption or non-desorption of the pheromone from the fiber due to a special chemical nature.…”

In‐vivo‐Festphasen‐Mikroextraktion in der Metabolomik: Möglichkeiten zur direkten Erforschung biologischer Systeme

“…[43] In einer anderen Studie wurde SPME genutzt, um zum ersten Mal Sexualpheromone (ein Gemisch aus Tetra-und Pentadecanal) in der Gottesanbeterin zu identifizieren. [44] Cai et al nutzten In-vivo-Gasraum-SPME zur Bestimmung von Metaboliten, die mögli-cherweise die Qualität von Früchten und Erträgen beeinflussen; diese Metaboliten wurden von den Käfern Harmonia axyridis freigesetzt, und die Forscher konnten die Gegenwart charakteristischer Gerüche einigen identifizierten Methoxypyrazinen zuordnen. [34] Djozan et al verglichen die traditionelle Lö-Abbildung 4.…”