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Circadian mating activity and effect of pheromone pre-exposure on pheromone response rhythms in the moth Spodoptera littoralis

von Wowern, Germund LU ; Löfstedt, Christer LU and Rosén, Wenqi LU (2005) In Journal of Insect Physiology 51(3). p.277-286
Abstract
Mating in moths is generally mediated by female-produced sex pheromones. Mating activity, female pheromone production/ release and male pheromone responsiveness all show diurnal variations in many species. We found that the response of the male Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, to sex pheromone gland extracts showed a diel rhythm in olfactometer tests, and the variation was persistent for at least 1 day in constant darkness. High male response to sex pheromone was correlated in time with high mating and locomotor activity. Male S. littoralis, maintained in constant darkness and exposed to pheromone gland extracts on a daily basis, showed an induced temporal variation in response after several days, in contrast to unexposed... (More)
Mating in moths is generally mediated by female-produced sex pheromones. Mating activity, female pheromone production/ release and male pheromone responsiveness all show diurnal variations in many species. We found that the response of the male Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, to sex pheromone gland extracts showed a diel rhythm in olfactometer tests, and the variation was persistent for at least 1 day in constant darkness. High male response to sex pheromone was correlated in time with high mating and locomotor activity. Male S. littoralis, maintained in constant darkness and exposed to pheromone gland extracts on a daily basis, showed an induced temporal variation in response after several days, in contrast to unexposed males. This suggests that in the absence of other external zeitgebers, exposure to sex pheromone may function to synchronise circadian behavioural rhythms in male moths. The daily rhythm in mating activity in S. littoralis is also shown to be persistent for at least 2 days in constant darkness. Pairs mated significantly less when either the male or female had been raised in a light:dark cycle 10h out of phase, indicating that the proposed circadian rhythm in mating activity is composed of rhythmic mating preference/ability in both sexes. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Insect Physiology
volume
51
issue
3
pages
277 - 286
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000227821900003
  • pmid:15749110
  • scopus:14644445263
ISSN
1879-1611
DOI
10.1016/j.jinsphys.2004.11.013
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
eb733cca-5798-4316-bb07-34ea13329a03 (old id 146164)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:59:51
date last changed
2022-01-28 08:33:28
@article{eb733cca-5798-4316-bb07-34ea13329a03,
  abstract     = {{Mating in moths is generally mediated by female-produced sex pheromones. Mating activity, female pheromone production/ release and male pheromone responsiveness all show diurnal variations in many species. We found that the response of the male Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, to sex pheromone gland extracts showed a diel rhythm in olfactometer tests, and the variation was persistent for at least 1 day in constant darkness. High male response to sex pheromone was correlated in time with high mating and locomotor activity. Male S. littoralis, maintained in constant darkness and exposed to pheromone gland extracts on a daily basis, showed an induced temporal variation in response after several days, in contrast to unexposed males. This suggests that in the absence of other external zeitgebers, exposure to sex pheromone may function to synchronise circadian behavioural rhythms in male moths. The daily rhythm in mating activity in S. littoralis is also shown to be persistent for at least 2 days in constant darkness. Pairs mated significantly less when either the male or female had been raised in a light:dark cycle 10h out of phase, indicating that the proposed circadian rhythm in mating activity is composed of rhythmic mating preference/ability in both sexes. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{von Wowern, Germund and Löfstedt, Christer and Rosén, Wenqi}},
  issn         = {{1879-1611}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{277--286}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Insect Physiology}},
  title        = {{Circadian mating activity and effect of pheromone pre-exposure on pheromone response rhythms in the moth <i>Spodoptera littoralis</i>}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2004.11.013}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jinsphys.2004.11.013}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}