Olfactory attraction mediated by the maxillary palps in the striped fruit fly, Bactrocera scutellata: Electrophysiological and behavioral study
Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology
Published online on November 16, 2018
Abstract
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- "\nAbstract\nHere, we report that the olfactory attraction of the striped fruit
fly, Bactrocera scutellata (Hendel; Diptera: Tephritidae), a serious pest of pumpkin
and other cucurbitaceae plants, to cue lure and raspberry ketone is mediated by
the maxillary palps. The antennae, bearing three morphological types (basiconic,
trichoid, and coeloconic) of olfactory sensilla, in male and female \nB. scutellata
exhibited significant electroantennogram (EAG) responses to a plant volatile compound,
3‐octanone, and methyl eugenol, whereas cue lure, raspberry ketone, and zingerone
that are known to attract several other species of \nBactrocera fruit flies elicited
no significant EAG responses from both sexes. In contrast, maxillary palps, housing
one morphological type of basiconic sensilla, displayed the largest electropalpogram
(EPG) responses to cue lure followed by raspberry ketone among the five compounds
tested in male and female \nB. scutellata, with only minor EPG responses to 3‐octanone,
which indicates that the maxillary palps are responsible for detecting cue lure
and raspberry ketone in this species. In field trapping experiments, significant
number of male \nB. scutellata were captured in the traps baited with cue lure or
raspberry ketone, in which the attractiveness of cue lure was significantly higher
than that of raspberry ketone. Methyl eugenol and zingerone were not behaviorally
attractive to \nB. scutellata although they elicited significant EPG responses.
Our study indicates that the behavioral attraction of \nB. scutellata to cue lure
and raspberry ketone is mediated by the olfactory sensory neurons present in the
maxillary palps.\n"
- 'Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, Volume 99, Issue 4, December 2018. '