Single-Component Pheromone Consisting of Bombykal in a Diurnal Hawk Moth, Neogurelca himachala sangaica.
Recent work has suggested that hawk moths share pheromone components but are sexually separated by qualitative and quantitative differences in their pheromone blends. During field assays on the sex pheromones of other species, a diurnal hawk moth, Neogurelca himachala sangaica (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), was frequently captured, but the composition of the sex pheromone of this species was not known. Analysis of hexane extracts of the pheromone glands of calling female by gas chromatography (GC) using an electroantennographic detector (EAD) revealed two components that elicited EAD responses from male moth antennae. These components were identified by their mass spectra and retention indices on two GC columns as (10E,12Z)-10,12-hexadecadienal (E10,Z12-16:Ald) and a trace of its (10E,12E)-isomer (E10,E12-16:Ald) in 98:2 ratio. In field experiments, E10,Z12-16:Ald alone attracted male moths, and addition of E10,E12-16:Ald significantly reduced the attractiveness, even at the naturally-occurring ratio. Analysis of the data using a generalized linear mixed model showed that E10,Z12-16:Ald positively contributed to attractiveness, whereas E10,E12-16:Ald did so negatively, and it was concluded that the sex pheromone of N. himachala sangaica consists solely of E10,Z12-16:Ald, bombykal. The negative effect of E10,E12-16:Ald on attractiveness could promote the species-specificity of this single-component pheromone system.
National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), Ohwashi 1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan. tue@affrc.go.jp.|Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan. tue@affrc.go.jp.
Takuya
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4871-0197
T
Uehara
Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Kitahara
Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Koyama Minami, Tottori, 680-8553, Japan.
Hideshi
H
Naka
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan.
Shigeru
S
Matsuyama
Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, 184-8588, Japan.
Tetsu
T
Ando
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Honda
D000466:Alkadienes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths / Q000187:drug effects*; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
D000466:Alkadienes; D012724:Sex Attractants; C066482:bombykal
Lepidoptera; Pheromone; Single component; Sphingidae