Synthetic 3,5-Dimethyldodecanoic Acid Serves as a General Attractant for Multiple Species of Prionus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Abstract

Males of the longhorned beetle Prionus californicus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are significantly attracted to the female-produced sex pheromone (3R,5S)-3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid. Males respond equally well to the synthetic blend of the four stereoisomers of 3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid as to the single natural enantiomer, suggesting that the unnatural isomers are not inhibitory. Males of the congener Prionus lecontei Lameere also are attracted to the (3R,5S)-enantiomer but not to the (3S,5R)-enantiomer, suggesting that the (3R,5S)-enantiomer is also an important pheromone component of that species. Here, we report the results of field trials that test the hypothesis that synthetic 3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid will serve as a general attractant for males of other Prionus species. We conducted field bioassays of synthetic 3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid at study sites in six different regions of North America and one site in the United Kingdom. Traps baited with the synthetic pheromone blend captured males of P.californicus (southwestern Idaho, southern California, and northwestern Utah), P. lecontei (southern California and northwestern Utah), and six additional species of Prionus: Prionus integer LeConte (southwestern Idaho), Prionus imbricornis (L.) (Georgia), Prionus laticollis (Drury) (Georgia), Prionus linsleyi Hovore (north central Arizona), Prionus aztecus Casey (northern Mexico), and Prionus coriarius (L.) (East Anglia, United Kingdom). These findings demonstrate that synthetic 3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid can be used to assess the geographic distribution and local abundance of many Prionus species and therefore may be of value for monitoring threatened and endangered species of this genus, and for managing those that are pests.

Using odour traps for population monitoring and dispersal analysis of the threatened saproxylic beetles Osmoderma eremita and Elater ferrugineus in central Italy

“…Ongoing research to implement semiochemical-based methods for conservation purposes includes some of the most charismatic and threatened European insects such as the moth Graellsia isabellae (Millar et al 2010), and some beetles such as Lucanus cervus (Chapman et al 2002;Harvey et al 2011), Osmoderma eremita Svensson et al 2003;Svensson and Larsson 2008), Osmoderma barnabita ), Elater ferrugineus (Svensson et al 2004;Tolasch et al 2007;Svensson and Larsson 2008;Musa et al 2013;Andresson et al 2014), Morimus asper (Chiari et al 2013c) and Prionus sp. (Barbour et al 2011). The use of attractive odour traps has been one of the most accredited approaches for monitoring presence and abundance of threatened beetles, especially those protected under the Habitat Directive.…”

(R)-Desmolactone, A Female-produced Sex Pheromone Component of the Cerambycid Beetle Desmocerus californicus californicus (subfamily Lepturinae)

“…2), but this may be an The fact that only males were attracted to the pheromone is analogous to the exclusive attraction of males to the female-produced pheromone of Ortholeptura valida, the only other lepturine species for which volatile pheromones have been identified . Female-produced sex pheromones also have been identified in several species of the cerambycid subfamily Prioninae (Barbour et al, 2011;Paschen et al, unpublished data;Ray et al, unpublished data). In contrast, male-produced pheromones have been identified from many species within the cerambycid subfamilies Cerambycinae, Lamiinae, and Spondylidinae, and to date, no volatile, female-produced pheromones have been identified from any species within these groups (e.g., Silk et al, 2007;Millar et al, 2009;Ray et al, 2009;Fonseca et al, 2010;Pajares et al, 2010;Mitchell et al, 2011;Teale et al, 2011).…”

“…In recent years, volatile sex or aggregation pheromones have been identified for a number of species in the cerambycid beetle subfamilies Cerambycinae, Lamiinae, Prioninae, and Spondylidinae, suggesting that pheromones play an important role in mate location in these groups (Silk et al, 2007;Millar et al, 2009;Ray et al, 2009;Fonseca et al, 2010;Pajares et al, 2010;Barbour et al, 2011;Teale et al, 2011;Paschen et al, unpublished). However, until recently, no pheromones had been reported for species in the subfamily Lepturinae (sensu Napp, 1994).…”

(2S,4E)-2-Hydroxy-4-octen-3-one, a Male-Produced Attractant Pheromone of the Cerambycid Beetle Tylonotus bimaculatus

“…The seven experimental treatments included: (1) (E)-2-hydroxy-4-octen-3-one; (2) acetoin; (3) acetoin + 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one; (4) sulcatone; (5) (R)-desmolactone, pheromone of the lepturine Desmocerus c. californicus Horn (Ray et al 2012a); (6) racemic prionic acid, pheromone of several Prionus species (Barbour et al 2011); and (7) a generic lure consisting of a blend of 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one, syn-2,3-hexanediol, (E)-fuscumol, (E)-fuscumol acetate, monochamol, and racemic 2-methylbutan-1-ol (see Hanks and Millar 2013). The bioassay was deployed from 9 June to 6 August 2014, and traps were checked for captured beetles at intervals of 2-3 days (N=25 samples), at which time treatments were switched within trap lines to control for location effects.…”

“…Research on the chemical ecology of cerambycid beetles during the last decade has revealed that many species share pheromone components having characteristic chemical structures, with even sympatric species producing pheromones of similar or even apparently identical composition (e.g., Barbour et al 2011;Hanks and Millar 2013;Hanks et al 2007;Mitchell et al 2011). In particular, the (R)-enantiomer of 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one has been shown to be the dominant or sole component of pheromones produced by males of many species in the subfamily Cerambycinae, including sympatric species (e.g., Hanks and Millar 2013;Hanks et al 2007;Mitchell et al 2015).…”