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Role of Contact Pheromones in Mate Recognition in Xylotrechus colonus

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An Erratum to this article was published on 13 May 2005

Abstract

Adult male and female rustic borers, Xylotrechus colonus F. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), aggregate on cut logs and fallen trees that are the hosts of their larvae. Our studies show that male X. colonus actively search for females, and only respond to them after contacting them with their antennae. Stripping cuticular hydrocarbons from females with solvent rendered them unattractive to males, suggesting that males did not recognize females by mechanoreception alone. Reapplying solvent extract to washed females restored their attractiveness to males, confirming the role of cuticular hydrocarbons in mate recognition. Female cuticular hydrocarbon extracts contain n-pentacosane, 9-methylpentacosane, and 3-methylpentacosane, components that were either absent or present in very small amounts on males. We demonstrate that the contact pheromone is a blend of these three cuticular hydrocarbons.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA

    Matthew D. Ginzel & Lawrence M. Hanks

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, 89557-0014, USA

    Gary J. Blomquist

  3. Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California, 92521, USA

    Jocelyn G. Millar

Authors
  1. Matthew D. Ginzel
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  2. Gary J. Blomquist
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  3. Jocelyn G. Millar
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  4. Lawrence M. Hanks
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lawrence M. Hanks.

Additional information

An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10886-005-5296-z.

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Ginzel, M.D., Blomquist, G.J., Millar, J.G. et al. Role of Contact Pheromones in Mate Recognition in Xylotrechus colonus . J Chem Ecol 29, 533–545 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022894419521

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