Differences in the reliance on cuticular hydrocarbons as sexual signaling and species discrimination cues in parasitoid wasps

Frontiers in Zoology
J BuellesbachThomas Schmitt

Abstract

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) have been documented to play crucial roles as species- and sex-specific cues in the chemical communication systems of a wide variety of insects. However, whether they are sufficient by themselves as the sole cue triggering sexual behavior as well as preference of con- over heterospecific mating partners is rarely assessed. We conducted behavioral assays in three representative species of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) to determine their reliance on CHC as species-specific sexual signaling cues. We found a surprising degree of either unspecific or insufficient sexual signaling when CHC are singled out as recognition cues. Most strikingly, the cosmopolitan species Nasonia vitripennis, expected to experience enhanced selection pressure to discriminate against other co-occurring parasitoids, did not discriminate against CHC of a partially sympatric species from another genus, Trichomalopsis sarcophagae. Focusing on the latter species, in turn, it became apparent that CHC are even insufficient as the sole cue triggering conspecific sexual behavior, hinting at the requirement of additional, synergistic sexual cues particularly important in this species. Finally, in the phylogenetically and c...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 7, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·M F González-RojasC Salazar
Jul 30, 2020·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·Nathan J ButterworthPhillip G Byrne
Jul 25, 2021·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Dan-Ting LiChuan-Xi Zhang

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Software Mentioned

Enhanced Chemstation
R package “ scatterplot3d
stats
R package “ MASS ”
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