Studies on Ecological Functions of Tephritid Fruit Fly Attractants

实蝇科的果蝇在任何经济上重要的害虫中引起一些最大的经济损失。特异性雄性引诱剂甲基丁香酚（methyl eugenol）对东方实蝇（Dacus dorsalis）和诱蚊灵（cuelure）对瓜实蝇（Dacus cucurbitae）的作用已被用作这些昆虫的强大的群体诱捕剂和种群监测剂。然而，这种特定的吸引力的雄性达信蝇诱饵的生物学意义尚未得到澄清。本研究旨在阐明这些果蝇引诱剂的生态功能。许多植物含有甲基丁香酚作为精油。D. dorsalis雄性拜访植物，以植物组织为食，以获得必需的成分。两种与甲基丁香酚密切相关的苯丙素类化合物在野生雄性的直肠腺中被发现，它们在求偶期间被排放到空气中，这表明该组分的任何信息素功能。还使用捕食性动物确定了异源功能。白鹤芋的花吸引了白鹤芋的一些亚种。dorsalis，但没有显著量的甲基丁香酚。从花中还鉴定出了其它几种相关化合物。葫芦科雄性。经鉴定，该引诱剂为4-（对羟基苯基）-2-丁酮。雄蝇选择性地将该化合物积聚到直肠腺中，表明在求偶期间信息素的作用。

Fruit flies of the family Tephritidae cause some of the greatest economic losses of any of the economically important pest insects. Specific male attractants, methyl eugenol for the oriental fruit fly (Dacus dorsalis) and cuelure for the melon fly (Dacus cucurbitae), have been used as the powerful mass trapping agents and the population-monitoring bates in the eradication program of these insects. However, the biological significance of such specific attraction of the lures for the male dacine flies has not yet been clarified. This study has been undertaken to clarify the ecological function of these fruit fly attractants.A number of plants contain methyl eugenol as the essential oil. D. dorsalis males visit the plants, feed on the plant tissues to acquire the essential component. Two phenylpropanoid compounds which are closely related to methyl eugenol were found in the rectal glands of wild males, which were emitted to the air during courtship period, suggesting any pheromonal function of the component. Allomonal function was also determined using predatory animals. Flowers of Spathiphyllum communatum (Araceae) attract some subspecies of D. dorsalis, but has no significant quantities of methyl eugenol. Instead, several other related compounds were indentified from the flower.Flowers of Dendrobium superbum emit fragrance which strongly attracts D. cucurbitae males. The attractant chemical was identified as 4-(phydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone. The male fly selectively accumulated the compound into the rectal glands, suggesting a pheromonal role during courtship.