Sex pheromones are vital in communication
between individuals belonging to opposite sexes and for... more Sex pheromones are vital in communication between individuals belonging to opposite sexes and form an integral part of the reproductive biology of various spe- cies. Among insects, sexual dimorphism in CHCs has been reported from diverse taxa spanning seven different orders, and thereby CHCs have been implicated as sex pheromones. Because males and females of the primitively eusocial wasp Ropalidia marginata touch each other with their antennae during mating, before engaging in sperm transfer, a sex pheromone that is perceived via contact chemosensation through the antennae can possibly exist in this species. Since CHCs have been implied as sex pheromones in various in- sects (including hymenopterans), and since sexual dimorphism of CHCs should be an obligatory prerequisite for them to act as sex pheromones, we investigated whether males and females of R. marginata differ in their CHC profiles. We found only nonvolatile CHCs, and our results show absence of sexual dimorphism in CHCs, suggesting that CHCs do not function as sex pheromone in this species. A behavioral assay failed to show presence of mate attrac- tion at a distance, thereby showing the absence of volatile long-distance mate attraction cues (that may originate from sources other than and in addition to CHCs).
Sex pheromones are vital in communication
between individuals belonging to opposite sexes and for... more Sex pheromones are vital in communication between individuals belonging to opposite sexes and form an integral part of the reproductive biology of various spe- cies. Among insects, sexual dimorphism in CHCs has been reported from diverse taxa spanning seven different orders, and thereby CHCs have been implicated as sex pheromones. Because males and females of the primitively eusocial wasp Ropalidia marginata touch each other with their antennae during mating, before engaging in sperm transfer, a sex pheromone that is perceived via contact chemosensation through the antennae can possibly exist in this species. Since CHCs have been implied as sex pheromones in various in- sects (including hymenopterans), and since sexual dimorphism of CHCs should be an obligatory prerequisite for them to act as sex pheromones, we investigated whether males and females of R. marginata differ in their CHC profiles. We found only nonvolatile CHCs, and our results show absence of sexual dimorphism in CHCs, suggesting that CHCs do not function as sex pheromone in this species. A behavioral assay failed to show presence of mate attrac- tion at a distance, thereby showing the absence of volatile long-distance mate attraction cues (that may originate from sources other than and in addition to CHCs).
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Papers by Paromita Saha
between individuals belonging to opposite sexes and form
an integral part of the reproductive biology of various spe-
cies. Among insects, sexual dimorphism in CHCs has been
reported from diverse taxa spanning seven different orders,
and thereby CHCs have been implicated as sex pheromones.
Because males and females of the primitively eusocial wasp
Ropalidia marginata touch each other with their antennae
during mating, before engaging in sperm transfer, a sex
pheromone that is perceived via contact chemosensation
through the antennae can possibly exist in this species. Since
CHCs have been implied as sex pheromones in various in-
sects (including hymenopterans), and since sexual
dimorphism of CHCs should be an obligatory prerequisite
for them to act as sex pheromones, we investigated whether
males and females of R. marginata differ in their CHC profiles. We found only nonvolatile CHCs, and our results
show absence of sexual dimorphism in CHCs, suggesting
that CHCs do not function as sex pheromone in this species.
A behavioral assay failed to show presence of mate attrac-
tion at a distance, thereby showing the absence of volatile
long-distance mate attraction cues (that may originate from
sources other than and in addition to CHCs).
between individuals belonging to opposite sexes and form
an integral part of the reproductive biology of various spe-
cies. Among insects, sexual dimorphism in CHCs has been
reported from diverse taxa spanning seven different orders,
and thereby CHCs have been implicated as sex pheromones.
Because males and females of the primitively eusocial wasp
Ropalidia marginata touch each other with their antennae
during mating, before engaging in sperm transfer, a sex
pheromone that is perceived via contact chemosensation
through the antennae can possibly exist in this species. Since
CHCs have been implied as sex pheromones in various in-
sects (including hymenopterans), and since sexual
dimorphism of CHCs should be an obligatory prerequisite
for them to act as sex pheromones, we investigated whether
males and females of R. marginata differ in their CHC profiles. We found only nonvolatile CHCs, and our results
show absence of sexual dimorphism in CHCs, suggesting
that CHCs do not function as sex pheromone in this species.
A behavioral assay failed to show presence of mate attrac-
tion at a distance, thereby showing the absence of volatile
long-distance mate attraction cues (that may originate from
sources other than and in addition to CHCs).