AUTHOR=Zhang Qing-He , Zhou Guiji , Hoover Doreen R. , Michaelson Neil J. , Bryant Paul , Margaryan Armenak , Chauhan Kamlesh R. , Aldrich Jeffrey R. , Schneidmiller Rodney G. 

TITLE=Serendipitous, cross familial discovery of the first long-range chemical attractants for antlions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae): (1R,2S,5R,8R)-iridodial and Z,E-nepetalactol

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2014.00080

DOI=10.3389/fevo.2014.00080

ISSN=2296-701X

ABSTRACT=<p>Synthetic (1<italic>R</italic>,2<italic>S</italic>,5<italic>R</italic>,8<italic>R</italic>)-iridodial, the key pheromone component of many green lacewings in the genus <italic>Chrysopa</italic>, strongly attracted adult males and females of the North American antlion, <italic>Dendroleon speciosus</italic> Banks. In addition, one of the common sex pheromone components of many aphids to which <italic>Chrysopa</italic> spp. are weakly attracted, <italic>Z,E</italic>-nepetalactol, was also weakly attractive to <italic>D. speciosus</italic> adults. Iridodial and <italic>Z,E</italic>-nepetalactol also elicited strong and weak electroantennogram detector (EAD) responses, respectively, in <italic>D. speciosus</italic> adults. Previously reported semiochemicals from European and Israeli antlion species did not elicit EAD or behavioral responses from <italic>D. speciosus</italic> adults. The earlier studied antlions release volatile chemicals from male-specific metathoracic glands associated with structures on the hind wings (Eltringham's organs) that are thought to enhance evaporation of the secretion. Although <italic>D. speciosus</italic> males have Eltringham's organs similar to those of other antlion species, we discovered that <italic>D. speciosus</italic> males have a pair of white tubular glands that extend posteriorly into the abdomen, opening in the resting pits of the Eltringham's organs. Further gas chromatograph (GC)-EAD analysis of another commercially available antlion species, <italic>Myrmeleon crudelis</italic> Walker, showed that this species did not respond to the lacewing or aphid related volatile compounds, but strongly responded to the reported antlion semiochemicals, namely, nerol, 10-homonerol, and nerol oxide. The male-specific abdominal glands of <italic>D. speciosus</italic> are presumably pheromone glands, but this hypothesis requires verification in the future.</p>