Sex Pheromones of Two Melittini Species, Macroscelesia Japona and M. Longipes: Identification and Field Attraction

Abstract

Two Melittini species, Macroscelesia japona and M. longipes (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), are native to Japan, but occupy different localities as their host plants seldom grow together. The contents of the sex pheromone gland of adult females of both species, obtained after rearing larvae collected from the field, were investigated by gas chromatograph-electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses. Two GC-EAD-active components were found in a crude extract of M. japona female pheromone gland, and identified as (2E,13Z)-2,13-octadecadien-1-ol (E2,Z13-18:OH) and (2E,13Z)-2,13-octadecadienal (E2,Z13-18:Ald). The average ratio of these two components was about 1:10. In the field, M. japona males were attracted to traps baited with E2,Z13-18:Ald alone, but the strongest attraction was observed with a 1:100 mixture of E2,Z13-18:OH and E2,Z13-18:Ald. The same two components were found in extracts of M. longipes females, but in a markedly different ratio. Male M. longipes were attracted most strongly to lures containing a 20:1 mixture of E2,Z13-18:OH and E2,Z13-18:Ald, although some males were also attracted to lures with E2,Z13-18:OH alone. Although the two species do not generally occur in sympatry, our data indicate that, in the event of overlap, cross attraction of the two species is unlikely.

Female Sex Pheromone of the Gelechiid Moth Scrobipalpa salinella (Zeller)

“…This indicates that E3-12: OAc cross activated the peripheral pheromone receptor for Z5-12:OAc, the critical secondary pheromone com- (Priesner, 1986). There is some evidence for substitution of minor components by structural analogs of pheromone components (Inomata et al, 2005;Naka et al, 2007). In contrast, addition of E3-12:OAc at the level found in the glands of females did not affect captures of male moths to the primary binary blend of Z3-12:OAc and Z5-12:OAc, suggesting that E3-12:OAc is not part of a sex pheromone blend of this species.…”

Female Sex Pheromone ofGlossosphecia romanovi(Lepidoptera: Sesiidae): Identification and Field Attraction

“…The currently known multi-component sesiid pheromones are mainly composed of geometrical isomers, as is the pheromone of Nokona pernix, 2) or of an alcohol and aldehyde, as is the pheromone of Macroscelesia japona. 8) The results of this study suggest that G. romanovi females establish their own mating communication system with the characteristic sex pheromone. Understanding whether or not the pheromone is strictly species-specific and whether visual cues are necessary for copulation would be valuable.…”

“…Although about 40 species have been recorded in Japan, the pheromone structures for only six species, including G. romanovi, have been reported. 2,3,6,8,9) The two essential pheromone components of G. romanovi, Z3,Z13-18:OH and Z3,Z13-18:OAc, are well-known for the sesiid species. Since the identification of Z3,Z13-18:OH in Sesia apiformis, 10) this alcohol has been identified in six other species.…”

Pheromones and body coloration affect mate recognition in the Japanese nine-spotted moth Amata fortunei (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)

“…In general, pheromones emitted by females are effective over longer ranges than those emitted by males (Cardé and Baker 1984). In addition to nocturnal moths, some diurnal moths (families Sesiidae and Zygaenidae) use species-specific sex pheromones (Zagatti and Renou 1984;Koshio and Hidaka 1995;Tanaka and Koshio 2002;Francke et al 2004;Naka et al 2007). These reports and this study suggest that sex pheromones play a predominant role in mating behavior in both nocturnal and diurnal moths.…”

“…This is notable because, like nocturnal moths, A. fortunei males mainly use a sex pheromone to recognize their mating partner, irrespective of their diurnal life history. Similarly, the males of some diurnal moths are attracted by sex pheromones emitted by females (Yasui et al 2005;Naka et al 2006Naka et al , 2007Naka et al , 2008Naka et al , 2010Toshova et al 2007), with one exception (Sarto i Monteys et al 2012) where the female sex pheromone seems secondary lost. These results suggest that (1) ancestor species of diurnal moths may be nocturnal and use female sex pheromones for mate recognition, and their diurnal life history may have evolved after the evolution of the sex pheromone, and (2) sufficient visual resolution ability as is apparent in diurnal butterflies would not have developed in diurnal moths due to phylogenetic constraints.…”