Individual variation and repeatability of sex pheromone emission of female turnip moths Agrotis segetum

Mats G.E. Svensson, Marie Bengtsson, Jan Löfqvist

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Individual variation of the female sex pheromone signal in Agrotis segetum was determined by gas chromatographic analysis. The individuals varied extensively, both in absolute and relative amounts of the three major pheromone components; Z5-10:OAc, Z7-12:OAc and Z9-14:OAc. Within individuals there was a strong correspondence between the sex pheromone gland content and the signal actually emitted. Both pheromone amounts and proportions of components were correlated with effluvia and extracts; with coefficients of 0.55 for total amounts and 0.66 for proportions. In addition, the repeatability of emitted pheromone components by individual females over three calling periods was high, with correlation coefficients between 0.43 and 0.72. Variation among individual females, however, was observed. There were no significant differences between wild-collected and laboratory-reared females in average ratios of the major pheromone components in pheromone gland extracts, only in total amounts. The biological significance of the interindividual variation among females is discussed in the context of population dynamics and sexual selection.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1833-1850
JournalJournal of Chemical Ecology
Volume23
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1997
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015.
The record was previously connected to the following departments: Animal Ecology (Closed 2011) (011012001)

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Ecology

Free keywords

  • effluvia entrainment
  • repeatability
  • individual variation
  • Agrotis segetum
  • Lepidoptera
  • (Z)-5-decenyl acetate
  • (Z)-7 dodecenyl acetate
  • sex pheromone
  • (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate

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