Flight initiation by male Rhodnius prolixus is promoted by female odors.
Several triatomine bug species utilize chemical cues for sexual communication. We tested whether female or male Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease, produce volatile chemicals that elicit flight responses from conspecifics, and then isolated the source of the chemical. Males confronted with an airstream containing female odors showed a significantly greater take-off frequency compared to a blank airstream or an airstream with male odors. In contrast, females exhibited similar take-off frequencies to male or female odor as to a clean airstream. Occlusion of female metasternal glands with paraffin wax resulted in a significant decrease in male take-off frequency compared to that of intact females. Additionally, excised female metasternal glands elicited a similar take-off frequency from males as did intact females, both significantly greater than the take-off frequency to clean air. These results show that R. prolixus females release a pheromone from their metasternal glands that causes upwind flight in conspecific males.
Zacharias
Claudia A
CA
Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Pontes
Gina B
GB
Lorenzo
Marcelo G
MG
Manrique
Gabriel
G
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005426:Flight, Animal; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000502:physiology*; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000502:physiology*
D012724:Sex Attractants