Predator-released hydrocarbons repel oviposition by a mosquito.
Prey species commonly use predator-released kairomones (PRKs) to detect risk of predation, yet the chemical identity of PRKs remains elusive. Chemical identification of PRKs will facilitate the study of predator-prey interactions and the risk of predation, and when the prey are pests, will potentially provide environmentally friendly means of pest control. In temporary pools of the Mediterranean and Middle East, larvae of the mosquito Culiseta longiareolata Macquart are highly vulnerable to the common predatory backswimmer, Notonecta maculata Fabricius. We demonstrate that N. maculata releases two hydrocarbons, n-heneicosane and n-tricosane, which repel ovipositing females of C. longiareolata. In behavioural tests with environmentally relevant chemical concentrations in outdoor mesocosm experiments, the repellent effects of the two compounds were additive at the tested concentrations.
Silberbush
Alon
A
Community Ecology Laboratory, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel.
Markman
Shai
S
Lewinsohn
Efraim
E
Bar
Einat
E
Cohen
Joel E
JE
Blaustein
Leon
L
D000473:Alkanes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D009033:Culicidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D020062:Heteroptera / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011235:Predatory Behavior
D000473:Alkanes; D010675:Pheromones; C554094:n-heneicosane; C554095:n-tricosane