Behavioural Evidence and Chemical Identification of a Female Sex Pheromone in Anagrus atomus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae)

Abstract

Anagrus atomus (L.) is an egg parasitoid involved in the biological control of Empoasca vitis (Göthe) in vineyards. Sex pheromones play a crucial role in mate finding for several parasitoid species and could be used for monitoring under field conditions. We carried out laboratory and field studies aimed at assessing the existence and identity of a possible A. atomus sex pheromone. We found that males were significantly attracted by virgin females independent of age. Males were not attracted to individuals of the same sex, but they were attracted by a crude extract from an unmated female and its polar fraction. Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) was identified as the attractive substance and proved to be attractive not only in the olfactometer but also in another laboratory bioassay and under field conditions. Attraction of males, but not females, confirms that this is not an aggregation pheromone. This is the first sex-pheromone component identified in Mymaridae, however more compounds could be involved in the mating behaviour of A. atomus. The utility of a sex pheromone in A. atomus is discussed in the context of fitness returns.

Functional Characterization of Pheromone Receptors in the Beet Webworm, Loxostege sticticalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

“…Sexual communication is essential for courtship and mating behaviors in insects, especially in Lepidoptera [4,37,48]. In general, antennae function as the primary olfactory organs involved in courtship rituals [1,49].…”

“…Insects rely on the olfactory system to locate habitats and identify mating partners. Sex pheromones emitted from conspecifics are crucial for courtship and mating [3,4]. The sex pheromones of Lepidoptera species, composed of two or more components, are biosynthesized and released by the female sex gland to attract male moths [5].…”

“…Each OR is generally co-expressed with the OR co-receptor (Orco), facilitating chemical signal recognition. This process transforms the chemical signals into electrical signals, regulating chemical communication in insects [4,25]. Pheromone receptors (PRs) are the main ligand gated-ion channels used to bind to pheromones, which are members of the ORs superfamily [24].…”