In the mating behavior of Aphidius ervi Haliday the antennae play a pivotal role in partner recognition and acceptance. Mating failure was always observed when antennal contact was experimentally prevented. The male of A. ervi has filiform antennae, consisting of scape, pedicel and 18-20 cylindrical antennomeres (flagellar segmants), which bear numerous types of sensory structures and, interspersed among multiporous plate sensilla, especially on the 1th and 2nd flagellar segments, scattered pores in virgin males exposed to conspecific females. Transmission electron microscopy revealed thatthese pores are the external openings of intergumentary glands. Behavioral and morpho-functional observations indicated that a double step sex recognition mechanism is present in A. ervi, as in other parasitic Hymenoptera. Basically, female recognition by males appears to be mediated by a volatile sex pheromone, that triggers the behavioral sequence leading in mounting. Then, the female recognizes and accepts the male after antennal contact. This is mediated by the secretion that oozes from the male antennal glands, which acts as a contact pheromone.
Mating behaviour of Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera Braconidae): the role of antennae.
BATTAGLIA, Donatella;PENNACCHIO, Francesco
2002-01-01
Abstract
In the mating behavior of Aphidius ervi Haliday the antennae play a pivotal role in partner recognition and acceptance. Mating failure was always observed when antennal contact was experimentally prevented. The male of A. ervi has filiform antennae, consisting of scape, pedicel and 18-20 cylindrical antennomeres (flagellar segmants), which bear numerous types of sensory structures and, interspersed among multiporous plate sensilla, especially on the 1th and 2nd flagellar segments, scattered pores in virgin males exposed to conspecific females. Transmission electron microscopy revealed thatthese pores are the external openings of intergumentary glands. Behavioral and morpho-functional observations indicated that a double step sex recognition mechanism is present in A. ervi, as in other parasitic Hymenoptera. Basically, female recognition by males appears to be mediated by a volatile sex pheromone, that triggers the behavioral sequence leading in mounting. Then, the female recognizes and accepts the male after antennal contact. This is mediated by the secretion that oozes from the male antennal glands, which acts as a contact pheromone.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
