title: Mating behavior of Psammotettix alienus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae).
abstract: The Wheat dwarf virus, the causal agent of the wheat dwarf disease, is transmitted by leafhoppers from the genus Psammotettix and currently the main protection strategy is based on the use of insecticide treatments. Sustainable management strategies for insect vectors should include methods that are targeted to disrupt reproductive behavior and here we investigated the mating behavior of Psammotettix alineus (Dahlbom 1850) in order to determine the role of vibrational signals in intra-specific communication and pair formation. Both genders spontaneously emit species- and sex-specific calling songs that consisted of regularly repeated pulse trains and differ primarily in pulse train duration and pulse repetition time. Females preferred the conspecific male calling song. After a coordinated exchange of pulse trains, the male approached the stationary female. During the close range courtship and also immediately prior to copulatory attempts distinct male vibrational signals associated with wing flapping and wing vibrations were recorded from the substrate. In the presence of a receptive female, competing males emitted vibrational signals most likely aimed to interfere with male-female interaction. Mated females regained sexual receptivity after they laid eggs. Although results suggest that the viruliferous status of insects may have an effect on vibrational songs, our current results did not reveal a significant effect of virus on leafhopper performance in mating behavior. However, this study also suggests, that detailed understanding of plant-vector-virus interactions relevant for vector mating behavior is essential for trying new approaches in developing future control practices against plant viruses transmitted by insect vectors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derlink
authors.affiliation: INRA-Cirad-Montpellier SupAgro, UMR 385 BGPI, Cirad TA A-54K, 34398, Montpellier, France.|Bayer CropScience, 16 rue Jean Marie Leclair - CS 90106, 69266 Lyon Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abt
authors.affiliation: INRA-Cirad-Montpellier SupAgro, UMR 385 BGPI, Cirad TA A-54K, 34398, Montpellier, France.|Bayer CropScience, 16 rue Jean Marie Leclair - CS 90106, 69266 Lyon Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mabon
authors.affiliation: INRA-Cirad-Montpellier SupAgro, UMR 385 BGPI, Cirad TA A-54K, 34398, Montpellier, France.|Bayer CropScience, 16 rue Jean Marie Leclair - CS 90106, 69266 Lyon Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Julian
authors.affiliation: Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Meta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virant-Doberlet
authors.affiliation: INRA-Cirad-Montpellier SupAgro, UMR 385 BGPI, Cirad TA A-54K, 34398, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacquot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D017791:Geminiviridae; D006430:Hemiptera; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008297:Male; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D014828:Vocalization, Animal
keywords: Psammotettix alienus; mating behavior; vibrational communication; wheat dwarf virus