Aggregation Pheromone of the African Rhinoceros Beetle, Oryctes monoceros (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Abstract

Coleoptera, Oryctes monoceros, African Rhinoceros Beetle, Aggregation Pheromone, Ethyl 4-M ethyloctanoate Ethyl 4-m ethyloctanoate is a male-produced aggregation pheromone of the African rhinoc­eros beetle, Oryctes monoceros (Olivier). It was identified by coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC -EAD) and coupled GC-mass spectrometry (MS) of Porapak Q-trapped male-produced volatiles. Natural and synthetic ethyl 4-m ethyloctanoate elicited comparable antennal responses. In a field experiment (La Me Research Station, Côte d’Ivoire), synthetic ethyl 4-methyloctanoate released at 30 mg/day attracted both male and fem ale Oryctes, whereas the known, non-beetle-produced attractant, ethyl chrysanthemate, did not attract any Oryctes. Upon improvement of trap design and placement, and the identi­fication of synergistic (plant) volatiles, pheromone-based mass trapping may become an alternative and/or additional strategy to manage O. monoceros, one of the most destructive pests of commercial coconut, oil, and date palms in Africa.

New aspects of the biology of the Melanesian rfhinoceros beetle Scapanes australis (Col., Dynastidae) and evidence for field attraction to males

“…; B urger et al, 1983 ) or has repellent properties when mixed with the dung ball ( C. cyanellus; B ellès and F avila , 1984 ). No peculiar behaviour has been described in connection to the pheromone emission in the Dynastids O. monoceros ( G ries et al, 1994 ) and O. rhinoceros ( H allet et al, 1995 ; M orin et al, 1996 ). Investigations are currently underway to confirm the pheromone hypothesis and identify the putative chemical signal.…”

“…Great hopes have been placed in this system as pheromones have been recently identified in the Dynastidae Oryctes monoceros (Oliv.) and Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) ( G ries et al, 1994 ; H allet et al, 1995 ; M orin et al, 1996 ). In the latter species, trapping adults with synthetic pheromone is being developed in Indonesia and Malaysia as an efficient tool for pest management ( H o , 1996 ).…”

Adaptation of a four-arm olfactometer for behavioural bioassays of large beetles

“…Coupling gas-chromatography with electroantennography allows the identification of semiochemicals potentially active for palm beetles (e.g. Gries et al 1994a, b;Gunawardena et al 1998). This technique can be used for screening, but it cannot give any indications about the behavioural impact of the compounds.…”

Chemical Ecology of Phytophagous Scarab Beetles

“…One of them was EAD-active and was identified as ethyl 4-methyloctanoate (Figure 1, structure 19) (13). One of them was EAD-active and was identified as ethyl 4-methyloctanoate (Figure 1, structure 19) (13).…”