Circadian Release of Male-Specific Components of the Greater Date Moth, Aphomia (Arenipses) Sabella, Using Sequential SPME/GC/MS Analysis

Abstract

The greater date moth (GDM), Aphomia sabella Hampson (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Galleriinae), is a serious pest of date palms, Phoenix dactylifera. The release of volatiles from both males and females was investigated using sequential SPME/GC/MS analysis. Males release a complex mixture of compounds in a circadian rhythm during the night between 03:00 and 05:00 hr. Six compounds were identified: benzaldehyde, sulcatol (6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol), geranyl acetone [(E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one], phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylpropenal, and (R)-fuscumol [(R)-(E)-6, 10-dimethyl-5, 9-undecadien-2-ol]. Benzaldehyde, sulcatol, and geranyl acetone were found only in trace amounts. These compounds were in glands located in the forewing of males only. Small amounts of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol were found sporadically in the SPME/GC/MS analyses of volatiles from females, and these compounds probably originate from microorganisms. This is the first finding of a circadian release of male-specific compounds in moths. GC/EAD analyses with synthetic standards of compounds released by males showed that the female antenna is stimulated by all six compounds, while the male antenna responded only to phenylacetaldehyde. A possible pheromonal role for the male-specific compounds is suggested by the circadian rhythm of their release and the EAD response of females to them. However, trapping tests with the main male-specific compounds in screen cages in the laboratory or in the field did not reveal any significant behavioral responses from females or males. Copulation in the laboratory was observed only in the presence of date palm tissue, thus suggesting that sexual communication and mating of GDM moths probably occurs in the crown of date palms.

Sampling technique biases in the analysis of fruit fly volatiles: a case study of Queensland fruit fly

“…PDMS fibers are widely used for collection of non-polar compounds 6,[26][27][28] . Polyacrylate (PA) has a high affinity to more polar compounds and hence has been used for polar semiochemicals 29,30 . PDMS/divinylbenzene (DVB), a mixed-phase coating that covers a broader spectrum due to their distinct polarity, has also been used for collection of semiochemicals 19,20,29,[31][32][33] .…”

Mosaic evolution of molecular pathways for sex pheromone communication in a butterfly

“…In moths, production of volatile sex pheromones usually shows a circadian pattern that is regulated by PBAN and correlates with the female "calling" behavior (extrusion of the sex pheromone gland) during specific hours of the scotophase (Rosén 2002;Bloch, Hazan, and Rafaeli 2013). A circadian rhythm of male sex pheromone production was also found in the moth Aphomia sabella (Levi-Zada et al 2014). We tested whether B. anynana displayed daily variation in courtship activity, MSP production, and PBAN expression in 8-day old adult males.…”

Monitoring and mass-trapping methodologies using pheromones: the lesser date moth Batrachedra amydraula

“…The problem was due to the difficulty of rearing the moth on an artificial diet (Blumberg, 2008) and to the extremely small amount of pheromone released by the female. However, these problems were circumvented by using the recently developed technique of Sequential SPME/GCMS Analysis (SSGA), which is sensitive to circadian-released volatiles and enabled the identification of the LDM pheromone from only a few calling females (Levi-Zada et al , 2011, 2013, 2014). LDM pheromone is comprised of three components: Z 5-decenyl acetate (Z5–10:Ac), Z 5-decen-1-ol (Z5–10:OH) and (Z4,Z7)-4,7-decadien-1-acetate ((Z4,Z7)-10:Ac) in a ratio of 2:2:1, respectively.…”