Males and females of the social wasp Ropalidia marginata do not differ in their cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and do not seem to use any long-distance volatile mate attraction cues

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