Identification by GC-EAD of the two-component trail-following pheromone of Prorhinotermes simplex (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae, Prorhinotermitinae)

GC/MS analysis confirmed that neocembrene is the major component of the trail pheromone in the three species of the termite genus Prorhinotermes (P. simplex, P. canalifrons, P. inopinatus). In addition, EAG and GC-EAD experiments with P. simplex strongly suggest that dodecatrienol is a quantitatively minor component but a qualitatively important component of this trail pheromone. Trail-following bioassays confirmed the two-component nature of the trail pheromone. This is the first report of the use of the GC-EAD for the identification of trail pheromone in termites. These original results underline once again the special phylogenetic status of the Prorhinotermitinae among Rhinotermitidae.     

Electrophysiological responses of Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) adults to plant volatiles

The olfactory stimuli from the maturation feeding‐plant, Rosa multiflora Thunb., and larval‐host plant, Populus deltoides, of the longhorned beetle, Batocera horsfieldi (Hope), were investigated by using TCT‐GC/MS (Thermal desorption and cold trap, and GC/MS) and electroantennogram recordings (EAG). A total of 20 plant compounds were identified from plant headspace volatile, including aliphatic, aromatic and terpenoid compounds. Five compounds were common to both plants. Eight compounds eliciting strong EAG response were E‐3‐hexenyl acetate, 3‐carene, 1‐penten‐3‐ol, 3‐pentanol, Z‐2‐penten‐1‐ol, hexanal and E‐2‐hexenal. Female and male B. horsfieldi exhibited broad overlap in their EAG responses to individual plant odour, and there was no clear pattern of difference between responses of female and male antennae to different compounds. Mating status had little effect on the EAG responses of females.     

Phorid fly, Pseudacteon tricuspis, response to alkylpyrazine analogs of a fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, alarm pheromone

The phorid fly, Pseudacteon tricuspis Borgmeier, is a parasitoid of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. This fly has been reported to use fire ant chemicals, specifically venom alkaloids and possibly alarm pheromone to locate its host. A recent study identified 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethyl pyrazine as a component of the alarm pheromone of S. invicta. To determine the possible involvement of this fire ant alarm pheromone component in mediating fire ant-phorid fly interactions, we tested electroantennogram (EAG) and behavioral responses of P. tricuspis females to the commercially available mixture of 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethyl pyrazine and its 3,5-dimethyl isomer, as well as six structurally related alkylpyrazine analogs at varying doses. Pseudacteon tricuspis females showed significant EAG response to 2-ethyl-3,6(or 5)-dimethyl pyrazine (herein referred to as pheromone-isomer) at all doses, 0.001-10 μg. Among the tested alkylpyrazine analogs, 2,3-diethyl-5-methyl pyrazine showed significant EAG activity at 0.1 and 1 μg. 2,3-dimethyl pyrazine also showed significant EAG activity at 0.1 μg. Results of four-choice olfactometer bioassays demonstrated significant attraction of P. tricuspis females to the pheromone-isomer (2-ethyl-3,6(or 5)-dimethyl pyrazine) at all tested doses (0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 μg). The analogs, 2,3-diethyl-5-methyl pyrazine and 2,3-dimethyl pyrazine were significantly better than the control at the higher doses (0.1, 1 and 10 μg). The pheromone-isomer was significantly better than both analogs at two doses, 0.1 and 1 μg. These results confirm that the reported fire ant alarm pheromone component plays a role in mediating attraction of phorid flies to host workers. Venom alkaloids were previously shown to attract P. tricuspis; therefore, we propose that fire ant alarm pheromones may act in tandem or synergistically with venom alkaloids to attract phorid fly parasitoids to fire ant workers.     

黄秋葵挥发油对小菜蛾的触角电位反应及趋性研究

通过触角电位仪测定了小菜蛾Plutella xylostella(L.)对黄秋葵(Abelmoschus esculentus(L.)Moench Meth)挥发油的触角电位反应。结果表明,黄秋葵挥发油对小菜蛾成虫的触角电位反应强度与挥发油剂量成正比。四臂嗅觉仪实验进一步表明,黄秋葵挥发油对小菜蛾起到驱避作用。     

红火蚁工蚁对跟踪信息素的触角电位和行为反应

【目的】测定红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren工蚁对其跟踪信息素的触角电位（EAG）及行为反应。【方法】解剖红火蚁工蚁的杜氏腺, 用正己烷溶剂提取其分泌的跟踪信息素进行气相色谱-质谱（GC-MS）分析, 并测定了红火蚁工蚁对杜氏腺提取物、 工蚁提取物和合成的法尼烯混合物的EAG和招募行为反应。【结果】通过与合成的法尼烯混合物的气相色谱（GC）保留时间和质谱图比对, 发现杜氏腺提取物的主要成分并不是Z, E-α-法尼烯。EAG测定结果表明, 红火蚁工蚁对杜氏腺提取物、 工蚁提取物及100 μg的法尼烯混合物均有较强的EAG反应, 其次为10 μg和1 μg的法尼烯混合物。在招募行为测定中, 杜氏腺提取物和工蚁提取物招募作用明显, 而10, 1, 0.1和0.01 μg法尼烯混合物的作用均不显著。【结论】Z, E-α-法尼烯不是红火蚁跟踪信息素的主要成分; 红火蚁工蚁对杜氏腺提取物、 工蚁提取物有较强的EAG反应和明显的招募行为反应。     

Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of Melolontha melolontha to saturated and unsaturated aliphatic alcohols

Male Melolontha cockchafers are known to use green leaf volatiles induced by female feeding on host plants for their mate location. Earlier studies of the response of the European cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha L. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), to different green leaf aldehydes, alcohols, and acetates revealed that only green leaf alcohols were attractive to males in the field. Females were not attracted at all by these volatiles. Here, we present a study that aimed to elucidate the structure–activity relationships of aliphatic alcohols. Both behavioural and physiological responses were studied in male and female M. melolontha by field tests and electroantennography. The compounds tested were saturated aliphatic alcohols with chain lengths between five and eight carbon atoms. Furthermore, the cockchafer's response to six‐carbon alcohols with (E)‐2‐, (E)‐3‐, (Z)‐2‐, (Z)‐3‐, and (Z)‐4‐configurated double bonds was tested. All compounds elicited dose‐dependent responses on the antennae of both sexes. In general, males showed a stronger normalized EAG response to the stimuli than females. However, only the naturally occurring six‐carbon alcohols, i.e., 1‐hexanol (E)‐2‐, (Z)‐3, and (E)‐3‐hexen‐1‐ol were attractive to M. melolontha males in the field. Females were not attracted to any of the tested compounds, confirming previous results on the olfactory orientation of Melolontha cockchafers.     

Electroantennogram responses of aphid nymphs to plant volatiles

Abstract. Electroantennogram (EAG) responses of immature aphids were investigated for 30 plant volatile compounds in third‐ and fourth‐stadium nymphs of the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae. The nymphs were destined to develop into adult alate (winged) virginoparae. The EAG response profiles were similar to those previously reported in the adults. Among the compounds tested, hexanonitrile elicited the largest EAG responses in both nymphal stadia, corresponding to previously reported results with adults. Six‐carbon aliphatic compounds showed relatively higher EAG activities in the nymphs but, in contrast, (E)‐2‐hexenal, benzaldehyde, α‐pinene and β‐pinene, and citronellal elicited relatively smaller EAG responses in nymphs than adults. Although overall EAG response profiles were similar between the third and the fourth stadia for the majority of the volatiles, four aldehyde compounds, hexanal (E)‐2‐heptenal, 2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and citronellal, showed relatively higher EAG activities in the third than in the fourth stadium. The present study indicates that aphid nymphs possess a functional olfactory receptor system before the antennae are fully developed morphologically and physiologically.     

与中红侧沟茧蜂生境与寄主定位相关的玉米及棉铃虫幼虫体表挥发性成分的提取与鉴定

【目的】鉴定玉米Zea mays L.和棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)幼虫体表挥发性成分中对中红侧沟茧蜂 Microplitis mediator (Haliday)具有生境与寄主定位作用的信息化合物,从化学生态学的角度研究玉米-棉铃虫-中红侧沟茧蜂三重营养关系,解释中红侧沟茧蜂寻找寄主的过程中的信息识别机制,为害虫的综合防治的“推-拉”方法提供一定的理论基础。【方法】利用触角电位仪(EAG)、触角电位联用仪(GC-EAD)、气质联用仪(GC-MS)及“Y”型嗅觉仪确定玉米和棉铃虫幼虫体表提取物的信息化合物。在室内利用玉米以及棉铃虫幼虫体表挥发物标准品化合物以及模拟混合物,使用“Y”型嗅觉仪进行中红侧沟茧蜂成虫行为反应试验。【结果】玉米挥发物中有11种化学成分,棉铃虫幼虫体表挥发物中有6种化学成分对中红侧沟茧蜂的触角具有电生理活性,其中4种成分在两种挥发物中都存在。室内行为反应试验发现：与正己烷对照相比,玉米的模拟组分对雌、雄蜂均表现出显著（P<0.05）的诱引作用;棉铃虫1龄幼虫体表模拟组分对雌蜂具有极显著的诱引作用（P<0.01）,对雄蜂具有显著的诱引作用（P<0.05）;棉铃虫2龄幼虫体表模拟组分对雌蜂具有显著的诱引作用（P<0.05）。【结论】本研究证明了玉米以及棉铃虫幼虫体表挥发物中分别存在11种（庚醛、2-己醇、1-己醇、1-辛烯-3-醇、壬醛、葵醛、苯甲醛、反式-2-壬烯-1-醇、己酸、苯基乙醇、月桂醇）和6种（2-己醇、己酸乙酯、1-己醇、壬醛、辛酸乙酯、癸醛）中红侧沟茧蜂生境及寄主定位的化学信息物质。     

豆野螟触角感器的电镜超微结构及嗅觉功能

本文利用扫描电镜(SEM)和触角电位仪(EAG)对豆野螟Maruca Testulalis (Geyer)触角感器的结构其及嗅觉功能进行了研究。豆野螟雌、雄成虫触角外部形态结构扫描的结果表明,豆野螟雌成虫触角上存在有毛形感器、刺形感器、腔锥形感器、耳形感器和栓锥形感器5种,雄成虫触角除上述5种感器外,还分布有柱形感器。以基部（触角的1/3）、中部（触角的1/3）和端部（触角的1/3）为单位,对雌、雄成虫触角节的各种类型感器数量进行统计,结果表明毛形感器、腔锥形感器、耳形感器在雌和雄虫触角上的分布都存在极其显著的差异。测定了豆野螟雄虫触角对性信息素化合物反,反-10,12-十六碳二烯醛和反,反-10,12-十六碳二烯-1-醇以及雌虫触角对植物挥发性化合物顺-3-己烯-乙酸酯和芳樟醇的EAG反应感应部位,结果表明EAG反应强弱与感器数量之间不存在明显的线性相关;对性信息素和植物挥发物有反应的触角感器在触角上的分布存在差异,对信息素反应的感器主要分布在触角鞭节的顶端24小节内(约占触角的1/3),而对植物挥发性化合物反应的感器则分布于触角鞭节顶端48小节内(约占触角的2/3)。