| Title |
Parapheromones for Thynnine Wasps
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Journal of Chemical Ecology, December 2015
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10886-015-0660-0 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Björn Bohman, Amir Karton, Ruby C. M. Dixon, Russell A. Barrow, Rod Peakall |
| Abstract |
Sexually deceptive orchids produce floral volatiles that attract male insect pollinators. This interaction between flower and pollinator normally is highly specific. In the few cases where the chemical composition of the volatiles is known, the compounds have been found to be identical to those that comprise the sex pheromone of the female wasp. In this study, we investigated whether there is potential for flexibility in the molecular structure of the chemical cues used to mediate these specific interactions. Specifically, we asked whether strong sexual attraction can be maintained with structural modifications of sex pheromone components. Our study focused on the orchid, Drakaea glyptodon, which is pollinated by males of the thynnine wasp, Zaspilothynnus trilobatus. Three alkylpyrazines and a unique hydroxymethylpyrazine are components of the female produced sex pheromone of Z. trilobatus, and also the semiochemicals produced by the orchid that lures the males as pollinators. A blend of 2-butyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine and 2-hydroxymethyl-3,5-diethyl-6-methylpyrazine (3:1) is as attractive as the full blend of four compounds. Therefore, in this study we substituted 2-hydroxymethyl-3,5-diethyl-6-methylpyrazine with one of five structurally related parapheromones in a blend with 2-butyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine. All blends tested stimulated approaches by male wasps, with some also eliciting landing and attempted copulation. High-level calculations (G4(MP2)) showed the energy differences between the structural isomers were small, although the degree of sexual attraction varied, indicating the importance of structural factors for activity. One of the parapheromones, 2-hydroxymethyl-3,5-dimethyl-6-ethylpyrazine, elicited similar proportions of approaches, landings, and attempted copulations as the sex pheromone at the ratio and dose tested. The findings suggest that there is potential for chemical flexibility in the evolution of sexual deception. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 4 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2 | 50% |
| Unknown | 2 | 50% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 3 | 75% |
| Scientists | 1 | 25% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 19 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 19 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 7 | 37% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 4 | 21% |
| Lecturer | 2 | 11% |
| Student > Bachelor | 2 | 11% |
| Professor | 1 | 5% |
| Other | 2 | 11% |
| Unknown | 1 | 5% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 13 | 68% |
| Chemistry | 2 | 11% |
| Linguistics | 1 | 5% |
| Neuroscience | 1 | 5% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 1 | 5% |
| Other | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown | 1 | 5% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 24 February 2016.
All research outputs
#13,101,688
of 22,835,198 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Chemical Ecology
#1,470
of 2,052 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#180,703
of 389,737 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Chemical Ecology
#5
of 17 outputs
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So far Altmetric has tracked 2,052 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.1. This one is in the 27th percentile – i.e., 27% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 17 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 70% of its contemporaries.