Studies on Ecological Functions of Tephritid Fruit Fly Attractants

在所有重要的经济害虫中，蝇科的果蝇造成的经济损失是最大的。甲基丁香酚是一种雄性引诱剂，用于东方果蝇（Dacus dorsalis）和瓜蝇（Dacus cucurbitae）的特异性引诱剂，已被用作强力的大规模诱捕剂和种群监测手段。然而，诱蚊饵对雄蝇的特异性吸引的生物学意义尚未明确。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。雄背背蛾拜访植物，以植物组织为食以获取必需成分。在野生雄性的直肠腺中发现了两种与甲基丁香酚密切相关的苯丙素化合物，它们在求偶期释放到空气中，表明该成分具有信息素功能。用掠食性动物测定异体功能。天南星科（Spathiphyllum communatum）的花吸引了一些背蝇亚种，但没有显著的甲基丁香酚含量。相反，从花中鉴定出了其他几种相关化合物。石斛的花散发出强烈的香味，吸引了葫芦科雄蜂。引诱剂为4-（羟基苯基）-2-丁酮。雄性果蝇选择性地将这种化合物积累到直肠腺中，这表明在求偶过程中信息素的作用。

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.