Odour-Mediated Orientation of Beetles Is Influenced by Age, Sex and Morph
نویسندگان
چکیده
The behaviour of insects is dictated by a combination of factors and may vary considerably between individuals, but small insects are often considered en masse and thus these differences can be overlooked. For example, the cowpea bruchid Callosobruchus maculatus F. exists naturally in two adult forms: the active (flight) form for dispersal, and the inactive (flightless), more fecund but shorter-lived form. Given that these morphs show dissimilar biology, it is possible that they differ in odour-mediated orientation and yet studies of this species frequently neglect to distinguish morph type, or are carried out only on the inactive morph. Along with sex and age of individual, adult morph could be an important variable determining the biology of this and similar species, informing studies on evolution, ecology and pest management. We used an olfactometer with motion-tracking to investigate whether the olfactory behaviour and orientation of C. maculatus towards infested and uninfested cowpeas and a plant-derived repellent compound, methyl salicylate, differed between morphs or sexes. We found significant differences between the behaviour of male and female beetles and beetles of different ages, as well as interactive effects of sex, morph and age, in response to both host and repellent odours. This study demonstrates that behavioural experiments on insects should control for sex and age, while also considering differences between adult morphs where present in insect species. This finding has broad implications for fundamental entomological research, particularly when exploring the relationships between physiology, behaviour and evolutionary biology, and the application of crop protection strategies.
منابع مشابه
Shades of yellow: interactive effects of visual and odour cues in a pest beetle
BACKGROUND The visual ecology of pest insects is poorly studied compared to the role of odour cues in determining their behaviour. Furthermore, the combined effects of both odour and vision on insect orientation are frequently ignored, but could impact behavioural responses. METHODS A locomotion compensator was used to evaluate use of different visual stimuli by a major coleopteran pest of st...
متن کاملSex ratio and morphological polymorphism in an isolated, endemic Teladorsagia circumcincta population.
Teladorsagia circumcincta is a polygamous nematode that exhibits morphological polymorphism. Sex ratio is typically female biased and the male nematodes occur in association with the genetically similar, minor morphotypes Teladorsagia davtiani and Teladorsagia trifurcata. In experimental infections, sex ratio (proportion male) and the proportion of minor male morphs observed have been shown to ...
متن کاملThe Relation between Perceived Goal Structure and Academic Resilience Mediated by Academic Motivation
To determine the relationship between perceived goal structure and academic resilience mediated by academic motivation, a cluster sample of 461 high school students in Tehran was administered three instruments measuring the said constructs. Assuming the validities and reliabilities of the instruments, data analyses revealed that external motivation mediates the relationship between performance ...
متن کاملThe importance of carcass volatiles as attractants for the hide beetle Dermestes maculatus (De Geer).
A decaying cadaver emits volatile organic compounds that are used by necrophilous and necrophagous insects in order to find their brood substrate. Although volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are released by carcasses have been identified, little is known about the specific compounds that are used by these insects while searching for a brood substrate. Therefore, we have investigated the che...
متن کامل