Methyl 2-(Methylthio)Benzoate: A Sex Attractant for the June Beetles,Phyllophaga tristisandP. apicata

Abstract

Male antennae of Phyllophaga tristis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) were tested using a coupled gas chromatograph-electroantennogram detector (GC-EAD) system for electrophysiological responses to five sex pheromones identified from other Phyllophaga species including L-valine methyl ester, L-isoleucine methyl ester, L-leucine methyl ester, methyl 2(methylthio)benzoate and methyl 2-amino benzoate. Male antennae responded only to methyl 2(methylthio)benzoate. In a 2003 field test near Greensburg, Kansas, cross-vane traps baited with rubber septa containing 1 mg of methyl 2-(methylthio)benzoate captured 466 male P. tristis. Control traps baited with rubber septa loaded with only hexane captured none. Similarly, in a field test in 2010 in Gainesville, Florida, 265 male P. apicata Reinhard were captured in traps baited with 1 mg of methyl 2-(methylthio)benzoate whereas control traps captured only a single male.

Phyllophaga1en la Zona Cañera de Morelos, México

“…The response of more than 1 species to this attractant is consistent with results by Robbins et al (2011) and Morales-Rodriguez et al (2011). Both studies also reported that this compound attracted more than 1 species.…”

“…The sharing of a response to an attractant can help us to understand the evolution and diversification process of the species (Coca-Abia and Robbins 2006; Robbins et al 2011).…”

“…In the case of Phyllophaga, Pherobase (2016) (a semiochemical and pheromone database) cites 20 compounds attractive to Phyllophaga, including palmitic, linoleic, and stearic acids. Other authors also mention 1-octadecanol, 11-n-decyl tetracosane (Romero-López et al 2003), methyl ester of L-isoleucine (Zhang et al 1997;Leal et al 2003;, and methyl 2-(methylthio)benzoate Robbins et al 2006;Robbins et al 2011;Morales-Rodríguez et al 2011).…”

“…Methyl 2-(methylthio)benzoate was reported by Coca-Abia and Robbins (2006) and Robbins et al (2011) as a sexual attractant though it attracts more than 1 Phyllophaga species. They also suggest that the attraction to this compound could be used to establish phylogenetic relationships among the species that are attracted.…”

The Response of Phyllophaga brevidens and Phyllophaga lenis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) to Methyl 2-(Methylthio) Benzoate and Light

“…In the case of Phyllophaga, Pherobase (2016) (a semiochemical and pheromone database) cites 20 compounds attractive to Phyllophaga, including palmitic, linoleic, and stearic acids. Other authors also mention 1-octadecanol, 11-n-decyl tetracosane (Romero-López et al 2003), methyl ester of L-isoleucine (Zhang et al 1997;Leal et al 2003;Nojima et al 2003), and methyl 2-(methylthio)benzoate (Robbins et al 2003;Robbins et al 2006;Robbins et al 2011;Morales-Rodríguez et al 2011).…”