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Does the Stereochemistry of Methylated Cuticular Hydrocarbons Contribute to Mate Recognition in the Egg Parasitoid Wasp Ooencyrtus kuvanae?

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Abstract

Close-range sexual communication of the egg parasitoid wasp Ooencyrtus kuvanae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) takes place on host gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), egg masses. We tested the hypothesis that mate recognition in O. kuvanae is mediated, in part, by low-volatility cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) pheromone components. Gas chromatographic and GC-mass spectrometric analyses of body surface extracts of male and female wasps revealed no sex-specific components, but 5-methylheptacosane (5-me-27Hy) and 5,17-dimethylheptacosane (5,17-dime-27Hy) were consistently more abundant in extracts of males. The ratio of 5-me-27Hy and 5,17-dime-27Hy was similar in extracts of males and females, and quantitative differences alone seemed insufficient to impart sex-specific CHC profiles. Therefore, we further hypothesized that the absolute configuration of 5-me-27Hy and 5,17-dime-27Hy contributes to mate recognition or attraction. As the stereoisomers of 5-me-27Hy and 5,17-dime-27Hy cannot currently be separated chromatographically, we could not determine the stereochemistry of the insect-produced components. Instead, we synthesized all stereoisomers and bioassayed synthetic blends in laboratory experiments. Of eight 2-component blends, each blend containing one of the two enantiomers of 5-me-27Hy and one of the four stereoisomers of 5,17-dime-27Hy, the blend of (5S)-methylheptacosane and (5R,17S)-dimethylheptacosane attracted males, whereas the blend of (5R)-methylheptacosane and (5R,17R)-dimethylheptacosane repelled males. Apparent recognition of both pheromone components and pheromone antagonists by males supports the hypothesis that the stereochemistry of 5-me-27Hy and 5,17-dime-27Hy, and possibly other methylated CHCs, may differ between male and female O. kuvanae, and that these differences may serve in mate attraction and recognition.

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Acknowledgements

We thank G. Andersen, M. Andersen, H. Bottomley, U. Somjee, and O. Moeri for technical assistance; E. Kiehlmann for review of the manuscript, S. DeMuth for graphical illustrations, and two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments. Funding was provided by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) – Discovery Grant and by an NSERC – Industrial Research Chair to G. G., with Contech Enterprises, SC Johnson Canada, and Global Forest Science (GF-18-2007-226; GF-18-2007-227) as sponsors.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada

    Kelly Ablard, Regine Gries, Grigori Khaskin & Gerhard Gries

  2. Beneficial Insect Introduction Research Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Newark, DE, 19713, USA

    Paul W. Schaefer

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  1. Kelly Ablard
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Ablard, K., Gries, R., Khaskin, G. et al. Does the Stereochemistry of Methylated Cuticular Hydrocarbons Contribute to Mate Recognition in the Egg Parasitoid Wasp Ooencyrtus kuvanae?. J Chem Ecol 38, 1306–1317 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0189-4

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