Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Hairpencil Volatiles Influence Interspecific Courtship and Mating Between Two Related Moth Species

  • Published:
Journal of Chemical Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Reproductive isolation between sympatric, closely related species can be accomplished through a variety of pre-zygotic isolating mechanisms, including courtship-signaling behavior that involves pheromones. In the moths Heliothis virescens and H. subflexa, males display abdominal hairpencils (HP), which release volatile chemicals during courtship. In this study, we demonstrated that HP volatiles released by male H. subflexa function to improve mating success with conspecific females. Interspecific mating experiments were conducted to determine any influence of HP volatiles on species isolation. Female H. virescens and H. subflexa were observed during courtship with males of the other species, following either sham-operation or ablation of HPs, both with and without concurrent presentation of HP volatiles. Mating success was improved by co-presentation of HP extract from males of the same species during courtship. Ablation of HPs improved mating between H. subflexa females and H. virescens males. During interspecific matings, male H. virescens attempted copulation less frequently in the presence of H. virescens HP extract, though H. subflexa males were not affected by the presence of H. subflexa HP extract. This suggests that HP volatiles produced by males of each species may inhibit mating between species through effects on males (H. virescens) and females (H. subflexa).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersson, J., Borg-Karlson, A.-K., and Wiklund, C. 2003. Antiaphrodisiacs in pierid butterflies: A theme with variation! J. Chem. Ecol. 29:1489–1499.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • BAKER, T. C. 1983. Variations in male oriental fruit moth courtship patterns due to male competition. Experientia. 39:112–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, T. C., and Cardé, R. T. 1979. Courtship behavior of the oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta): experimental analysis and consideration of the role of sexual selection in the evolution of courtship pheromones in the Lepidoptera. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 72:173–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, T. C., Nishida, R., and Roelofs, W. L. 1981. Close-range attraction of female Oriental fruit moths to herbal scent of male hairpencils. Science. 214:1359–1361.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, T. C., Quero, C., Ochieng’, S. A., and Vickers, N. J. 2006. Inheritance of olfactory preferences II. Olfactory receptor neuron responses from Heliothis virescens x Heliothis subflexa hybrid male moths. Brain. Behav. Evol. 68:75–89.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Birch, M. C. 1970a. Structure and function of the pheromone-producing brush organs in males of Phlogophora meticulosa (L.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. London. 122:277–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birch, M. C. 1970b. Pre-courtship use of abdominal brushes by the nocturnal moth Phlogophora meticulosa (L.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Anim. Behav. 18:310–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birch, M. C. 1974. Aphrodisiac pheromones in insects, pp 115–34, in M. C. Birch (ed.), Pheromones. North Holland, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birch, M. C., Lucas, D., and White, P. R. 1989. The courtship behaviour of the cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and the role of male hair pencils. J. Insect. Behav. 2:127–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birch, M.C., Poppy, G.M., and Baker, T.C. 1990. Scents and eversible scent structures of male moths. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 35:25–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger, B. V., Nell, A. E., Smit, D., Spies, H. S. C., Mackenroth, W. M., Groch, D., and Atkinson, P. R. 1993. Constituents of wing gland and abdominal hair pencil secretions of male African sugarcane borer, Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 19:2255–2277.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cibrian-Tovar, J., and Mitchell, E. R. 1991. Courtship behavior of Heliothis subflexa (Gn.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and associated backcross insects obtained from hybridization with H. virescens (F.). Environ. Entomol. 20:419–426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick, S. M., and McNeil, J. N. 1988. Male scent in lepidopteran communication in the role of male pheromone in mating behaviour of Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haw.). Can. Entomol. Memoirs. 146:131–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gould, F., Vickers, N. J., Estock, M., Hillier, N. K., Powell, B., Groot, A., Ward, C., Emerson, J., and Schal, C. 2010. Sexual isolation of male moths explained by a single pheromone response QTL containing four receptor genes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 107:8660–8665

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Groot, A. T., Horovitz J. L., Hamilton J., Santangelo, R. G., Schal, C., and Gould, F. 2006. Experimental evidence for interspecific directional selection on moth pheromone communication. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 103:5858–5863.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, T., Theuring, C., and Bernays, E. A. 2003. Are insect-synthesized retrocine esters (creatonotines) the precursors of the male courtship pheromone in the Arctiid moth Estigmene acrea? J. Chem. Ecol. 29:2603–2608.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath, R. R., Mitchell, E. R., and Tovar, J. C. 1990. Effect of release rate and ratio of (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol from synthetic pheromone blends on trap capture of Heliothis subflexa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J. Chem Ecol. 16:1259–1268.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hillier, N. K., and Vickers, N. J. 2004. The role of heliothine hairpencil compounds in female Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) behavior and mate acceptance. Chem. Senses. 29:499–511.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hillier, N. K., Kleineidam, C. K., and Vickers, N. J. 2006. Physiology and glomerular projections of olfactory receptor neurons on the antenna of female Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) responsive to behaviorally relevant odors. J. Comp. Physiol. A. 192:199–219.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hillier, N. K., Kelly, D., and Vickers, N. J. 2007. A specific male olfactory sensillum detects behaviorally antagonistic odorants. J. Insect. Sci. 7:04.

  • Klun, J. A., Plimmer, J. R., Bierl-Leonhardt, B. A., Sparks, A. N., Primiani, M., Chapman, O. L., Lepone, G., and Lee, G. H. 1980. Sex pheromone chemistry of female tobacco budworm moth, Heliothis virescens. J. Chem. Ecol. 6:177–183.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klun, J. A., Leonhardt, B. A., Lopez, J. D., and LaChance, L. E. 1982. Female Heliothis subflexa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) sex pheromone: chemistry and congeneric comparisons. Environ. Entomol. 11:1084–1090.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lassance, J.-M., and Löfstedt, C. 2009. Concerted evolution of male and female display in the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis. BMC Biology. 7:10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laster, M. L. 1972. Interspecific hybridization of Heliothis virescens and H. subflexa. Environ. Entomol. 1:682–687.

    Google Scholar 

  • LeComte, C., Thibout, E., Pierre, D., and Auger, J. 1998. Transfer, perception and activity of male pheromone of Acrolepiopsis assectella with special reference to conspecific male sexual inhibition. J. Chem. Ecol. 24:655–671.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phelan, P. L., Silk, P. J., Northcott, C. J., Tan, S. H., and Baker, T. C. 1986. Chemical identification and behavioral characterization of male wing pheromone of Ephesia elutella (Pyralidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 12:135–146.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pope, M. M., Gaston, L. K., and Baker, T. C. 1982. Composition, quantification, and periodicity of sex pheromone gland volatiles from individual Heliothis virescens females. J. Chem. Ecol. 8:1043–1055.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Proshold, F. I., and LaChance, L. E. 1974. Analysis of sterility in hybrids from interspecific crosses between Heliothis virescens and H. subflexa. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 67:445–449.

    Google Scholar 

  • Royer, L., and McNeil, J. N. 1992. Evidence of a male sex pheromone in the European corn borer, Ostrina nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Can. Entomol. 124:113–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shorey, H. H., and Hale, R. L. 1965. Mass-rearing of the larvae of nine noctuid species on a simple artificial medium. J. Econ. Entomol. 58:522–524.

    Google Scholar 

  • Statsoft, Inc. 2007. Electronic Statistics Textbook. Tulsa, OK: StatSoft. WEB: http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/stathome.html.

  • Stadelbacker, E. A., and Martin, D. F. 1981. Fall diapause and spring emergence of Heliothis virescens, H. subflexa, and backcrosses of their hybrid. Environ Entomol. 10:139–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teal, P. E. A., and Oostendorp, A. 1993. Interspecific hybridization between Heliothis virescens and H. subflexa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) affects the presence and structure of hairpencil glands of males. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 86:324–326.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teal, P. E. A., and Oostendorp, A. 1995. Production of pheromone by hairpencil glands of males obtained from interspecific hybridization between Heliothis virescens and H. subflexa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 21:59–67.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Teal, P. E. A., and Tumlinson, J. H. 1989. Isolation, identification and biosynthesis of compounds produced by male hairpencil glands of Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 15:413–427.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Teal, P. E. A., and Tumlinson, J. H. 1997. Effects of interspecific hybridization between Heliothis virescens and Heliothis subflexa on the sex pheromone communication system, pp 535–547, in R. T. Cardé and A. K. Minks (eds). Insect Pheromone Research: New Directions. Chapman & Hall, New York.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Teal, P. E. A., Tumlinson, J. H., and Heath, R. R. 1986. Chemical and behavioral analyses of volatile sex pheromone components released by calling Heliothis virescens (F.) females (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 12:107–126.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tingle, F. C., Mitchell, E. R., and Baumhover, A. H. 1978. Sex pheromone specificity in Heliothis. J. Chem. Ecol. 4:471–479.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tumlinson, J. H., Hendricks, D. E., Mitchell, E. R., Doolittle, R. E., and Brennan, M. M. 1975. Isolation, identification, and synthesis of the sex pheromone of the tobacco budworm. J. Chem. Ecol. 1:203–214.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vetter, R. S., and Baker, T. C. 1983. Behavioral responses of Heliothis virescens in a sustained flight tunnel to combinations of the seven compounds identified from the female sex pheromone gland. J. Chem. Ecol. 9:747–759.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vickers, N. J. 2002. Defining a synthetic pheromone blend attractive to male Heliothis subflexa under wind tunnel conditions. J. Chem. Ecol. 28:1255–1267.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vickers, N. J. 2006. Inheritance of olfactory preferences I. Pheromone-mediated behavioral responses of Heliothis subflexa x Heliothis virescens hybrid male moths. BrainBehav. Evol. 68:63–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vickers, N. J. 2006. Inheritance of olfactory preferences III. Processing of pheromonal signals in the antennal lobe of Heliothis subflexa x Heliothis virescens hybrid male moths. Brain Behav. Evol. 68:90–108.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank K. Iceman, M. Grimes-Graeme and B. Sweeten for assistance with maintaining H. virescens and H. subflexa colonies. This material is based upon research supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0416861 (to NJV).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Ave., Wolfville, NS, Canada, B4P 2R6

    Neil Kirk Hillier

  2. Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 S. 1400 E., Rm. 201, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Neil J. Vickers

Authors
  1. Neil Kirk Hillier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Neil J. Vickers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Neil Kirk Hillier.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hillier, N.K., Vickers, N.J. Hairpencil Volatiles Influence Interspecific Courtship and Mating Between Two Related Moth Species. J Chem Ecol 37, 1127–1136 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-011-0017-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-011-0017-2

Key Words

Search

Navigation

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy