Parasite Lost: Chemical and Visual Cues Used by <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Pseudacteon</Emphasis> in Search of <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Azteca instabilis</Emphasis> |
| |
Authors: | Kaitlyn A Mathis Stacy M Philpott Rayane F Moreira |
| |
Institution: | (1) University of California, Berkeley, 137 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA;(2) Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606, USA;(3) Department of Natural Science, Hampshire College, 893 West St., Amherst, MA 01002, USA |
| |
Abstract: | An undescribed species of phorid fly (genus: Pseudacteon) parasitizes the ant Azteca instabilis F Smith, by first locating these ants through the use of both chemical and visual cues. Experiments were performed in Chiapas,
Mexico to examine a) the anatomical source of phorid attractants, b) the specific chemicals produced that attract phorids,
and c) the nature of the visual cues used by phorids to locate the ants. We determined that phorid-attracting chemicals were
present within the dorsal section of the abdomen, the location of the pygidial gland. Further experiments indicate that a
pygidial gland compound, 1-acetyl-2-methylcyclopentane, is at least partially responsible for attracting phorid flies to their
host. Finally, although visual cues such as movement were important for host location, size and color of objects did not influence
the frequency with which phorids attacked moving targets. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|