title: Chemical basis of courtship in a beetle (Neopyrochroa flabellata): cantharidin as precopulatory "enticing" agent.
abstract: Male Neopyrochroa flabellata have a natural affinity for cantharidin (Spanish fly). They are attracted to cantharidin baits in the field and feed on the compound if it is offered to them in the laboratory. Males that ingest cantharidin secrete cantharidin from a cephalic gland. Females sample secretion from this gland during courtship and mate preferentially with males that had fed on cantharidin. Cantharidin-unfed males can be rendered acceptable to females if cantharidin is added to their cephalic gland.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eisner
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Smedley
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eisner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roach
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meinwald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002193:Cantharidin / Q000378:metabolism*; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D003307:Copulation; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
chemical_list: D012724:Sex Attractants; D002193:Cantharidin