Pheomelanin in the secondary sexual characters of male parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).

摘要: The occurrence and distribution of eumelanin pheomelanin, the most prevalent biological pigments, has been rarely investigated in insects. Particularly yellowish to brownish body parts, which many vertebrates are associated with visible insects but their chemical nature was examined a similar detail. Here, by using Dispersive Raman spectroscopy analysis, we found both pheomelanin different parts male parasitoid wasps three species genus Mesopolobus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), known have species-specific spots coloured stripes on legs and/or antennae displayed females during courtship. We strong signal antennal clava all studied circular black spot or callosity triangular projection outer apical angle typically expanded middle tibia tibialis xanthocerus. Eumelanin also predominant pigment thorax other members family. Pheomelanin, hand, detected as only certain M. xanthocerus, precisely very narrow, longitudinal stripe femur and, tibialis, oval-longitudinal tibia. two melanin types co-occurred pigmented areas, more often one is clearly relative other, according variation intensity signature peaks. A further tibial yellowish-orange present these did not include melanins any type. could be widespread than previously convergent evolution melanin-based sexual ornaments between (e.g. bird feathers) can suggested, opening new line comparative evolutionary studies.