Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice
Sex-specific pheromones are known to play an important role in butterfly courtship, and may influence both individual reproductive success and reproductive isolation between species. Extensive ecological, behavioural and genetic studies of Heliconius butterflies have made a substantial contribution...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PeerJ Inc.
2017-11-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/3953.pdf |
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| author | Kathy Darragh Sohini Vanjari Florian Mann Maria F. Gonzalez-Rojas Colin R. Morrison Camilo Salazar Carolina Pardo-Diaz Richard M. Merrill W. Owen McMillan Stefan Schulz Chris D. Jiggins |
| author_facet | Kathy Darragh Sohini Vanjari Florian Mann Maria F. Gonzalez-Rojas Colin R. Morrison Camilo Salazar Carolina Pardo-Diaz Richard M. Merrill W. Owen McMillan Stefan Schulz Chris D. Jiggins |
| author_sort | Kathy Darragh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sex-specific pheromones are known to play an important role in butterfly courtship, and may influence both individual reproductive success and reproductive isolation between species. Extensive ecological, behavioural and genetic studies of Heliconius butterflies have made a substantial contribution to our understanding of speciation. Male pheromones, although long suspected to play an important role, have received relatively little attention in this genus. Here, we combine morphological, chemical and behavioural analyses of male pheromones in the Neotropical butterfly Heliconius melpomene. First, we identify putative androconia that are specialized brush-like scales that lie within the shiny grey region of the male hindwing. We then describe putative male sex pheromone compounds, which are largely confined to the androconial region of the hindwing of mature males, but are absent in immature males and females. Finally, behavioural choice experiments reveal that females of H. melpomene, H. erato and H. timareta strongly discriminate against conspecific males which have their androconial region experimentally blocked. As well as demonstrating the importance of chemical signalling for female mate choice in Heliconius butterflies, the results describe structures involved in release of the pheromone and a list of potential male sex pheromone compounds. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:47:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f5aeae9d740141b29a8a15532190a4b1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:47:47Z |
| publishDate | 2017-11-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-f5aeae9d740141b29a8a15532190a4b12023-12-03T10:34:38ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592017-11-015e395310.7717/peerj.3953Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choiceKathy Darragh0Sohini Vanjari1Florian Mann2Maria F. Gonzalez-Rojas3Colin R. Morrison4Camilo Salazar5Carolina Pardo-Diaz6Richard M. Merrill7W. Owen McMillan8Stefan Schulz9Chris D. Jiggins10Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United KingdomDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United KingdomInstitute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, GermanyBiology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, ColombiaSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute, PanamaBiology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, ColombiaBiology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, ColombiaDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United KingdomSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute, PanamaInstitute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, GermanyDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United KingdomSex-specific pheromones are known to play an important role in butterfly courtship, and may influence both individual reproductive success and reproductive isolation between species. Extensive ecological, behavioural and genetic studies of Heliconius butterflies have made a substantial contribution to our understanding of speciation. Male pheromones, although long suspected to play an important role, have received relatively little attention in this genus. Here, we combine morphological, chemical and behavioural analyses of male pheromones in the Neotropical butterfly Heliconius melpomene. First, we identify putative androconia that are specialized brush-like scales that lie within the shiny grey region of the male hindwing. We then describe putative male sex pheromone compounds, which are largely confined to the androconial region of the hindwing of mature males, but are absent in immature males and females. Finally, behavioural choice experiments reveal that females of H. melpomene, H. erato and H. timareta strongly discriminate against conspecific males which have their androconial region experimentally blocked. As well as demonstrating the importance of chemical signalling for female mate choice in Heliconius butterflies, the results describe structures involved in release of the pheromone and a list of potential male sex pheromone compounds.https://peerj.com/articles/3953.pdfHeliconiusPheromoneSexual selectionMate choiceAndroconiaLepidoptera |
| spellingShingle | Kathy Darragh Sohini Vanjari Florian Mann Maria F. Gonzalez-Rojas Colin R. Morrison Camilo Salazar Carolina Pardo-Diaz Richard M. Merrill W. Owen McMillan Stefan Schulz Chris D. Jiggins Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice PeerJ Heliconius Pheromone Sexual selection Mate choice Androconia Lepidoptera |
| title | Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice |
| title_full | Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice |
| title_fullStr | Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice |
| title_short | Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice |
| title_sort | male sex pheromone components in heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice |
| topic | Heliconius Pheromone Sexual selection Mate choice Androconia Lepidoptera |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/3953.pdf |
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