Abstract
The bioassay is a test procedure which endeavors to use the occurrence of a unique behavioral or physiological response to evaluate the various steps involved in the chemical fractionation, isolation, and identification of the active compounds which occur in an animal’s chemical communication system. It is usually assumed that the animal which normally perceives the chemical signal under investigation is best suited to act as the biological detector for the presence of active compounds. Therefore, the central element in the bioassay is the experimental animal with its range of sensory capabilities and its behavioral and physiological repetoire. Accordingly, the typical bioassay represents a coalition between natural product chemistry, sensory physiology, and ethology. Each of these disciplines has its own historical perspective, theoretical expectation, armament of technique and experimental strategy. Consequently, it is easy to appreciate how it is that complications should arise from time to time in the design and execution of a suitable bioassay. Since the intricacies of natural product chemistry have already been thoroughly evaluated, I shall concentrate on the complications which arise in the interaction between sensory physiology and ethology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
BAKER, T. C., CARDÉ, R. T., and ROELOFS, W. L. 1976. Behavioral responses of male Argyrotaenia velutinana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to components of its sex pheromone. J. Chem. Ecol., In press.
BAKER, T. C., and ROELOFS, W. L. 1976. Electroantennogram responses of male Argyrotaenia velutinana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to mixtures of its sex pheromone components. J. Insect. Physiol., In press.
BEDOUKIAN, P. Z. 1970. Purity, identity and quantification of pheromones. Pages 19–34 in J. W. Johnston, Jr., D. G. Moulton, and A. Turk (eds.), Communication by Chemical Signals. Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York.
BLACK-CLEWORTH, P., and VERBERNE, G. 1975. Scent-marking, dominance and flehmen behavior in domestic rabbits in an artificial laboratory territory. Chemical Senses & Flavor 1: 465–494.
CARDÉ, R. T., BAKER, T. C., and ROELOFS, W. L. 1975. Ethological function of components of a sex attractant system for oriental fruit moth males, Grapholitha molesta (Lepidoptera: Torticidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 1: 475–493.
CARDÉ, R. T., DOANE, C. C., and ROELOFS, W. L. 1974. Diel periodicity of male sex pheromone response and female attractiveness in the gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). Can. Ent. 106: 479–484.
GENTRY, C. R., BEROZA, M., and BLYTHE, J. L. 1975. Pecan bud moth: Captures in Georgia in traps baited with the pheromone of the oriental fruit moth. Environ. Entomol. 4: 227–228.
HENDRY, L. B., JUGOVICH, J., ROMAN, L., ANDERSON, M. E., and MUMMA, R. O. 1974. Cis-l0-tetradecenyl acetate, an attractant component in the sex pheromone of the oak leaf roller moth (Archips semiferanus Walker). Experientia 30: 886–887.
HESTERMAN, E. R., GOODRICH, B. S., and MYKYTOWYCZ, R. 1976. Behavioral and cardiac responses of the rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, to chemical fractions from anal gland. J. Chem. Ecol. 2: 25–37.
HINDENLANG, D. M., MCLAUGHLIN, R. R., GUILIANO, R. M., and HENDRY, L. B. 1975. A sex pheromone in the potato tuberworm moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller): Biological assay and preliminary chemical investigation. J. Chem. Ecol. 1: 465–475.
JOHNSON, R. P. 1973. Scent marking in mammals. Anim. Behay. 21: 521–535.
KEVILLE, R., and KANNOWSKI, P. B. 1975. Sexual excitation by pheromones of the confused flour beetle. J. Insect Physiol. 21: 81–84.
MILLER, J. R., BAKER, T. C., CARDÉ, R. T., ROELOFS, W. L. 1976. Reinvestigation of oak leaf roller sex pheromone components and the hypothesis that they vary with diet. Science. 192: 140–143.
MYKYTOWYCZ, R. 1975. Activation of territorial behaviour in the rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, by stimulation with its own chin gland secretion. Pages 425–432 in D. A. Denton and J. P. Coghlan (eds.), Olfaction and Taste V. Academic Press, Inc., New York.
MYKYTOWYCZ, R., HESTERMAN, E. R., GAMBALE, S., and DUDZINSKI, M. L. 1976. A comparison of the effectiveness of the odors of rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, in enhancing territorial confidence. J. Chem. Ecol. 2: 13–24.
ROELOFS, W. L., and ARN, H. 1968. Sex attractant of the red-banded leaf roller moth. Nature 219: 513.
ROELOFS, W. L. and COMEAU, A. 1971a. Sex pheromone perception: Synergists and inhibitors for the red-banded leaf roller attractant. J. Insect Physiol. 17: 435–448.
ROELOFS, W. L. and COMEAU, A. 1971b. Sex pheromone perception: Electroantennogram responses of the red-banded leaf roller moth. J. Insect Physiol. 17: 1969–1982.
ROELOFS, W., HILL, A., and CARDÉ, R. 1975. Sex pheromone components of the redbanded leafroller, Argyrotaenia velutinana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 1: 83–91.
SHOREY, H. H. 1974. Environmental and physiological control of insect sex pheromone behavior. Pages 62–80 in M. C. Birch (ed.), Pheromones. North-Holland, Amsterdam.
SINGER, A. G., AGOSTA, W. C., O’CONNELL, R. J., PFAFFMANN, C., BOWEN, D. V., and FIELD, F. H. 1976. Dimethyl disulfide: An attractant pheromone in hamster vaginal secretion. Science. 191: 948–950.
SOWER, L. L., SHOREY, H. H., and GASTON, L. K. 1972. Sex pheromones of Lepidoptera. XXVIII. Factors modifying the release rate and extractable quantity of pheromone from females of Trichoplusia ni (Noctuidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 65: 954–957.
THIESSEN, D. D. 1973. Footholds for survival. Am. Sci. 61: 346–351.
THIESSEN, D. D. and DAWBER, M. 1972. Territorial exclusion and reproductive isolation. Psychon. Sci. 28: 159–160.
THIESSEN, D. D., LINDZEY, G., BLUM, S. L., and WALLACE, P. 1970. Social interactions and scent marking in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Anim. Behay. 19: 505–513.
THIESSEN, D. D., OWEN, K., and LINDZEY, G. 1971. Mechanisms of territorial marking in the male and female mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). J. Comp. and Physiol. Psych. 77: 38–47.
THIESSEN, D. D., REGNIER, F. E, RICE, M., GOODWIN, M., ISAACKS, N., and LAWSON, N. 1974. Identification of a ventral scent marking pheromone in the male mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Science. 184: 83–85.
WALLACE, R., OWEN, K., and THIESSEN, D. D. 1973. The control and function of maternal scent marking in the mongolian gerbil. Physiol. Behay. 10: 463–466.
WENZEL, B. M. 1971. Olfaction in birds. Pages 432–448 in L. M. Beidler (ed.), Handbook of Sensory Physiology Vol. IV, Olfaction. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
WHITTEN, W. K. 1969. Mammalian pheromones. Pages 252–257 in C. Pfaffmann (ed.), Olfaction and Taste III. The Rockefeller University Press, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1977 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
O’Connell, R.J. (1977). From Insect to Mammal: Complications of the Bioassay. In: Müller-Schwarze, D., Mozell, M.M. (eds) Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2364-8_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2364-8_21
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-2366-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-2364-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive