Pheromone races of Cydia splendana (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) overlap in host plant association and geographic distribution

Marie Bengtsson,Miklos Toth,C Rikard Unelius,Anne Boutitie,Peter Witzgall,Stefanos Andreadis,Julia Jã³Svai,Stefan Rauscher

doi:10.3389/fevo.2014.00046

Marie Bengtsson, Miklos Toth + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2014.00046

Copy DOI

Abstract

Identification of the sex pheromone of Cydia splendana (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) by pheromone gland analysis followed by field trapping with synthetic compounds shows the occurrence of two pheromone races. Acorn moth females from Sweden, where oak Quercus robur is the only host plant, use a blend of the E,Z and E,E isomers of 8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate. In Central and Southern Europe, where C. splendana feeds on chestnut Castanea sativa and several species of oak, males respond to another isomer blend, E,E and Z,E. The distribution of the two pheromone races of C. splendana overlaps in Northern France, where they share oak as plant host. Differences in sex communication signals lead to behavioural pre-mating isolation between these populations, and emphasize the role of specific mate recognition in speciation events.

Highlights

Sex pheromone communication in moths is the original paradigm in chemical ecology (Fabre, 1879; Butenandt et al, 1959)
gas chromatography (GC)-MS AND GC-electroantennographic detection (EAD) ANALYSIS OF PHEROMONE GLAND EXTRACTS Calling females of C. splendana collected from acorns in Sweden produced a range of pheromonal compounds, the most abundant unsaturated compound was E8,Z10-12Ac (Table 1)
In extracts of up to 20 calling females collected from chestnut in Hungary, E8,E10-12Ac was the only unsaturated compound which could be identified by GC-MS

Summary

Introduction

Sex pheromone communication in moths is the original paradigm in chemical ecology (Fabre, 1879; Butenandt et al, 1959). In species communicating with 8, 10-12Ac, each of these isomers is behaviorally active, either as main pheromone compound, attraction synergist or attraction inhibitor. A coincident and reciprocal, synergistic or antagonistic effect on male attraction enables specific communication and mate recognition with only four compounds, in 30 or more species of this subfamily (Witzgall et al, 1996, 2010; El-Sayed, 2014). Behavioral observations and field trapping studies in several species have shown that distinct pheromone communication channels result in specific mate recognition in tortricid moths (Witzgall et al, 1993, 1996, 2010) and most likely in premating reproductive isolation, which may give rise to speciation. Distinct pheromone races, using specific isomer blends have been found in several of these species (Witzgall et al, 1996)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion