Development and function of perfume signals in orchid bees

化学信号用于许多节肢动物，特别是昆虫的交配行为，在化学复杂性和物质类别方面表现出很大的差异。可能的功能范围从介导配偶/物种识别（识别功能）到雄性-雄性相互作用中的信号状态和竞争强度（武器功能）到信号遗传适合性（装饰功能）。所有这三种功能可能是同一特质的非排他性共同选择，因为它在不同的语境中显示给不同的接受者。在本项目中，我们将评估这些功能在一个神秘的化学信号特征，环境衍生的“香水”的雄性新热带兰花蜜蜂（Euglossini）。我们将使用新开发的技术进行田间和笼内实验的组合，用于（1）监测个体雄性香水的发展和（2）测试香水对性展示和交配行为的影响。关于（2），我们将从我们最近成功地使完整的兰花蜂（Euglossa困境）在飞行笼中的生殖行为推断。作为该项目的一个核心部分，我们将提出处女女性的双重选择的男性，其香水负荷，我们已经操纵：有和没有香水（香水占有实验），香水的量（香水强度实验），香水的物种正确性（特异性实验），以及某种主要化合物的存在，这是可能介导的香水特异性（HNDB实验）。这些实验的结果，再加上男性之间的相互作用的香水依赖的分析，将使我们能够评估的重要性，识别，武装，和装饰功能在塑造euglossine香水的演变，并将帮助我们进一步建立兰花蜜蜂作为一个模型系统的交配行为，性选择和物种形成的研究。

Chemical signals are used in the mating behavior of many arthropods, especially insects, exhibiting a large variability in chemical complexityand substance classes. Possible functions range from mediating mate/species recognition (recognition function) to signaling status and competitive strength in male-male interactions (armament function) to signaling genetic fitness to choosy mates (ornament function). All three functions may be non-exclusive co-options of the same trait as it is displayed in different contexts and to different receivers. In the present project we will evaluate these functions in an enigmatic chemical signaling trait, the environment-derived ‘perfume’ of male neotropical orchid bees (Euglossini). We will carry out a combination of field and cage experiments using newly developed techniques for (1) monitoring individual male perfume development and (2) for testing perfume effects on sexual display and mating behavior. With regard to (2) we will extrapolate from our recent success in enabling the complete orchid bee (Euglossa dilemma) reproductive behavior in flight cages. As a central part of the project, we will present virgin females with dual choices of males whose perfume loads we have manipulated: with and without perfume (perfume possession experiment), the amount of perfume (perfume intensity experiment), the species-correctness of the perfume (specificity experiment), and the presence of a certain major compound that is likely to mediate perfume specificity (HNDB experiment). The results of these experiments, plus the analysis of perfume-dependence of male-male interactions, will allow us to evaluate the importance of recognition, armament, and ornament functions in shaping the evolution of euglossine perfumes, and will help us to further establish orchid bees as a model system for the study of mating behavior, sexual selection, and speciation.