title: Sex pheromones and reproductive isolation in five mirid species.
abstract: Mate location in many mirid bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae) is mediated by female-released sex pheromones. To elucidate the potential role of the pheromones in prezygotic reproductive isolation between sympatric species, we investigated differences in the pheromone systems of five mirid species, Apolygus lucorum, Apolygus spinolae, Orthops campestris, Stenotus rubrovittatus and Taylorilygus apicalis. GC/MS analyses of metathoracic scent gland extracts of virgin females showed that all five species produced mixtures of hexyl butyrate, (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate and (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal, but in quite different ratios. (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate was the major component of A. spinolae, while hexyl butyrate was the most abundant component in the pheromone blends of the other four species. In addition to the three compounds, a fourth component, (E)-2-octenyl butyrate, was present in the gland extracts of A. lucorum and T. apicalis females. Field tests suggest that the ternary blends of hexyl butyrate, (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate and (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal as found in the extracts of the females of each species do not inhibit attraction of conspecific males but ensure species-specificity of attraction between A. lucorum, O. campestris and T. apicalis. Furthermore, (E)-2-octenyl butyrate was essential for attraction of A. lucorum and T. apicalis males, but strongly inhibited attraction of male A. spinolae, O. campestris and S. rubrovittatus. The combined results from this study and previous studies suggest that the minor component and pheromone dose in addition to the relative ratio of the major components play an important role in reproductive isolation between mirid species.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Wanju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Yeol
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Wanju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Se-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agriculture and Life Science (BK21+), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Junheon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Wanju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Taek-Jun
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Seung-Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D020062:Heteroptera / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D060047:Reproductive Isolation; D012543:Scent Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D012724:Sex Attractants