Serendipitous, cross familial discovery of the first long-range chemical attractants for antlions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae): (1R,2S,5R,8R)-iridodial and Z,E-nepetalactol

Abstract

Synthetic (1R,2S,5R,8R)-iridodial, the key pheromone component of many green lacewings in the genus Chrysopa, strongly attracted adult males and females of the North American antlion, Dendroleon speciosus Banks. In addition, one of the common sex pheromone components of many aphids to which Chrysopa spp. are weakly attracted, Z,E-nepetalactol, was also weakly attractive to D. speciosus adults. Iridodial and Z,E-nepetalactol also elicited strong and weak electroantennogram detector (EAD) responses, respectively, in D. speciosus adults. Previously reported semiochemicals from European and Israeli antlion species did not elicit EAD or behavioral responses from D. speciosus adults. The earlier studied antlions release volatile chemicals from male-specific metathoracic glands associated with structures on the hind wings (Eltringham's organs) that are thought to enhance evaporation of the secretion. Although D. speciosus males have Eltringham's organs similar to those of other antlion species, we discovered that D. speciosus males have a pair of white tubular glands that extend posteriorly into the abdomen, opening in the resting pits of the Eltringham's organs. Further gas chromatograph (GC)-EAD analysis of another commercially available antlion species, Myrmeleon crudelis Walker, showed that this species did not respond to the lacewing or aphid related volatile compounds, but strongly responded to the reported antlion semiochemicals, namely, nerol, 10-homonerol, and nerol oxide. The male-specific abdominal glands of D. speciosus are presumably pheromone glands, but this hypothesis requires verification in the future.

Can microhabitat preferences of ground-dwelling insects be a good indicator for terrestrial ecosystem recovery after an oil spill?

“…Another cautious hypothesis is that the animals may be attracted to the 1975 spill substrate because of the oil itself. Many insects have extremely developed olfactory senses, used not only for foraging, but also for breeding, navigation, communication, and alarm (Karlson 1959;Zhang et al 2015;Aldrich and Zhang 2016). Even though the 1975 contamination is more than 40 years old and most of the original volatile fractions of the crude oil have already disappeared, a small quantity of volatiles are constantly created by biodegrading bacteria (Girsowicz et al 2018), and the smell of oil is still noticeable even by humans (personal observation).…”

Systematic revision, molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the antlion tribe Acanthoplectrini (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Dendroleontinae), with emphasis on the Oriental lineage

“…However, this is probably due to the sampling of few outgroups in their analysis. The pilula axillaris is an important structure at the base of hind wing, which is related to the courtship behaviour by volatilizing and dispersing the secretion from the first abdominal glandular pits upon the opening of the hind wings (Aldrich & Zhang, 2016; Güsten, 1996; J. L. Zhang et al, 2015). This structure appears to be an autapomorphy of the whole Myrmeleontidae, although it is absent in many lineages (e.g.…”