Study of infochemicals involved in mating behavior of papilionid butterfly adults

在栖息于日本的12种蝶类中，有6种雌雄异型，而6种雌雄同型。在交配之前，发现雄性徐氏凤蝶和多翼凤蝶的雄性成虫用前腿对交配的伴侣表现出触碰行为。电生理测量表明，前腿的毛状体感受器对同种和异种成虫的角质层脂肪提取物表现出味觉反应。这些结果强烈地表明，蝶类成虫利用交配伙伴的角质层脂类物质作为识别配偶的化学线索。

Of the 12 papilionid butterflies inhabiting in Japan, 6 species were sexually dimorphic but 6 species were sexually monomorphic in the chemical composition of cuticular lipid of adults. Prior to copulation, male adults of Papilio xuthusand Papiliopolytesare found to show palpation behavior to mating partners using their forelegs. Electrophysiological measurements revealed that sensilla trichodea of the foreleg tarsi show gustatory responses to the cuticular lipid extracts from conspecific and heterospecific adults. These results strongly suggest that adults of papilionid butterflies use the cuticular lipid substances of mating partners for chemical cues of mate recognition.