title: Volatile cues can drive the oviposition behavior in Odonata.
abstract: Selection for the oviposition site represents the criterion for the behavioral process of habitat selection for the next generation. It is well known that in Odonata the most general cues are detected visually, but laboratory investigations on the coenagrionid Ischnura elegans showed through behavioral and electrophysiological assays that adults were attracted by olfactory cues emitted by prey and that males of the same species are attracted by female odor. The results of the present behavioral and electrophysiological investigations on I. elegans suggest the involvement of antennal olfactory sensilla in oviposition behavior. In particular, I. elegans females laid in the laboratory significantly more eggs in water from larval rearing aquaria than in distilled or tap water. Moreover, the lack of preference between rearing water and tap water with plankton suggests a role of volatiles related to conspecific and plankton presence in the oviposition site choice. I. elegans may rely on food odor for oviposition site selection, thus supporting the predictions of the "mother knows best" theory. These behavioral data are partially supported by electroantennographic responses. These findings confirm a possible role of olfaction in crucial aspects of Odonata biology.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frati
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, University of Perugia, Italy. Electronic address: silvanapiersanti@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piersanti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rebora
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianandrea
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salerno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003463:Cues; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D063191:Odonata / Q000502:physiology*; D055696:Olfactory Perception; D010058:Oviposition; D058618:Sensilla / Q000502:physiology; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
keywords: Aquatic insects; Electrophysiology; Ischnura elegans; Odonata; Olfaction; Oviposition