Sex Pheromone of the American Warble Fly, Dermatobia hominis: The Role of Cuticular Hydrocarbons

• Published in: Journal of chemical ecology Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 636 - 646
• Main Authors: Gulias Gomes, Claudia Cristina, Trigo, José Roberto, Eiras, Álvaro Eduardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York New York : Springer-Verlag 01-05-2008; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; alkanes; Alkenes; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; antennae; Autoecology; Behavior, Animal; Bioassays; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Microscopy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; chemical communication; chemical composition; Chemical ecology; copulation; cuticular lipids; Dermatobia hominis; Diptera - growth & development; Diptera - metabolism; Diptera - physiology; Ecology; electroantennography; electrophysiology; Entomology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas chromatography; gender differences; Hydrocarbons; Hydrocarbons - metabolism; insect communication; insect cuticle; Insects; Larva - metabolism; Life Sciences; Lipids; Male; Mass spectrometry; olfactometry; Pheromones; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Sex Attractants; sex pheromones; Volatilization; warble flies; Chemical communication; GC–MS; Cuticular hydrocarbons; Alkenes; Myiasis; Methyl-branched alkanes; EAG; Olfactometer; Animal communication; Insecta; Cuticle; Electroantennography; Alkene; Pathogenic; Alkane; Dermatobia hominis; Cuterebridae; Sex pheromone; Hydrocarbon; Parasite; Zoopathogen; GC-MS; Arthropoda; Invertebrata; Diptera; Semiochemicals
• ISSN: 0098-0331; 1573-1561
• DOI: 10.1007/s10886-008-9473-8

Chemical communication between adults of the American warble fly, Dermatobia hominis (Diptera: Oestridae), was investigated by electroantennography and behavioral bioassays. Significant electroantennographic responses were recorded from both sexes to hexane-soluble cuticular lipids from either sex. Olfactometer tests indicated an attraction between males and females, and between females. Copulatory behavior of males with a white knotted string treated with female extract confirmed production of a sexual stimulant by females. Such behavior was not observed in tests with male extract, demonstrating that the pheromone acts also as a sex recognition factor. Cuticular hydrocarbons of sexually mature female and male D. hominis were identified by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and consist of a mixture of saturated n-, monomethyl-, and dimethylalkanes in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism was characterized by a higher relative concentration of dimethylalkanes in males and the presence of alkenes only in females.