Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) females can detect the sex pheromone emitted by conspecific females
Abstract
The sex pheromones emitted by Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) females attract males for copulation, but no studies to date have investigated if conspecific females also are attracted. Here, the attraction of females of S. frugiperda to their sex pheromone in flight tunnel laboratory bioassays and field trapping is reported. Genitalia of females and males captured in the field were dissected for taxonomic identification and studied with an environmental scanning electron microscope to know the mating status of the females. In wind tunnel attraction bioassays, virgin females flew upwind and landed on the stimulus, likewise the males, whereas mated females, although they headed for the stimulus, showed fewer landings. The sex ratio of captured insects in the field was 1 female to 4 males. The presence of spermatophores allowed the separation of mated and virgin females using the genitalia; both were found in the traps throughout the sampling period. This study demonstrated that S. frugiperda females autodetect their sex pheromone, and its implications on the management strategy for these moths are discussed.
Resumen
Las feromonas sexuales emitidas por las hembras de Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) atraen a los machos para la cópula, pero no hay estudios que investiguen si las hembras conespecíficas son atraídas. En este estudio, se informa de la atracción de las hembras de S. frugiperda a su feromona sexual en bioensayos de laboratorio en túnel de vuelo, y trampas de campo. Se disectaron las genitalias de las hembras y los machos capturados en el campo para su identificación taxonómica y también se estudiaron con el microscopio electrónico de barrido ambiental para conocer el estado de apareamiento de las hembras. En los bioensayos de atracción en el túnel de viento, las hembras vírgenes volaron contra el viento y se posaron en el estímulo, al igual que los machos, mientras que las hembras apareadas, aunque se dirigieron al estímulo, mostraron menos aterrizajes. En el campo, la proporción sexual de los insectos capturados fue de una hembra por cada cuatro machos. Las genitalias de las hembras apareadas y vírgenes se distinguieron por la presencia del espermatóforo. Este estudio demuestra que las hembras de S. frugiperda autodetectan su feromona sexual y se discuten sus implicaciones en la estrategia de manejo de estas palomillas.
Key Words: autodetection; females; sex pheromone; wind tunnel; traps
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