ABSTRACT. Pheromone and plant volatile perception was studied with electroantennogram and single sensillum techniques in male and female turnip moths, Agrotis segetum Schiff. Lepidoptera, Noctuidae. The female is insensitive to the pheromone components and her receptors are specialized for plant volatile reception. The specific pheromone receptors on the male antenna are also sensitive to plant volatiles. The male was in addition found to have specialized plant volatile receptors. The biological significance of the different response profiles in males and females, and a possible hypothesis for the evolutionary specialization of olfactory receptors are discussed.
Single cell recordings were made from antennal sensilla trichodea of males of the 9 European small ermine moths by means of the tip‐recording technique. Seventeen chemicals were used as stimuli. Two or three electrophysiological types of sensilla trichodea were found in each species. The response spectra of the receptor cells in these sensilla differed both intra‐ and interspecifically. Most cell types were sensitive to two or more substances but some types were activated by one substance only. The results suggest that the various species use different multicomponent female sex pheromones. It is suggested that cis‐11‐tetradecen‐
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
Vergleich der Einzelzellenreaktionen von Sensilla trichodea der Antennen auf Sexualpheromone bei den neun europäischen Gespinstmotten (Yponomeuta spp.)
Einzelzellenableitungen wurden an Sensilla trichodea von Antennen der Männchen der 9 europäischen Gespinstmotten gemacht und zwar mit der Spitzen‐Ableitungsmethode. Siebzehn Sexuallockstoffe wurden als Stimulantien verwendet. Zwei oder drei elektrophysiologische Typen von Sensilla trichodea wurden bei jeder Art gefunden. Die Reaktionsspektren der Rezeptorzellen in diesen Sensillen unterscheiden sich intra‐ und interspezifisch. Die meisten Zelltypen waren empfindlich auf zwei oder mehr Substanzen, aber einige Typen wurden nur durch eine einzige Substanz aktiviert. Die Resultate deuten darauf hin, dass die verschiedenen Arten unterschiedliche Multikomponentenpheromone verwenden. Es wird vermutet dass cis‐11‐Tetradecen‐1‐ol‐acetat und trans‐11‐Tetradecen‐1‐ol‐acetat Komponenten all dieser Pheromone sind. Die reproduktive Isolation in Yponomeuta dürfte aufrechterhalten werden durch unterschiedliche Mischungen dieser Substanzen und/oder durch die Anwesenheit zusätzlicher Stoffe.
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