Carmen Quero - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Carmen Quero

Insects

In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Ge... more In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been neglected so far. In this work, we provide the first evidence of a biologically active male-specific compound that may be promoting field aggregation. Headspace collections through solid-phase microextraction from feral males and females reported the presence of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine exclusively in males. Electroantennographic recordings revealed that males and females responded in a dose-dependent manner to increasing stimuli of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, with females overall displaying a higher response than males. In dual-choice tests, both males and females showed a significant preference for the compound in comparison to a pure air stimulus. In light of these results, the possible role of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine as an aggregation cue in L. lusitanica is discussed.

Insect Science, Jul 22, 2014

The flathead oak borer Coroebus undatus F. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is one of the primary pests ... more The flathead oak borer Coroebus undatus F. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is one of the primary pests of cork oak Quercus suber L. in the Mediterranean region causing great economic losses to the cork industry. Very little is known about its biology and behavior and, so far, no control measures have been established. We present the results of a pilot study aimed to develop an efficient trapping method for monitoring this harmful pest. In a 3-year field study, purple-colored prism traps baited with a mixture of green leaf volatiles (GLVs) from the host have been shown the most effective combination to catch C. undatus adults (solely females) compared to other trap and lure types tested. Wavelength and reflectance measurements revealed that purple traps exhibit reflectance peak values similar to those found in the abdominal and elytral cuticle of both sexes, suggesting the involvement of visual cues for mate location in this species. The data presented are the first to demonstrate captures of adults of the genus Coroebus by an attractant-based trapping method.

Journal of Medical Entomology, Nov 8, 2021

BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Journal of Comparative Physiology A-neuroethology Sensory Neural and Behavioral Physiology, Aug 29, 2017

effect displayed by the minor component for a more effective discrimination of the pheromone bouq... more effect displayed by the minor component for a more effective discrimination of the pheromone bouquets of other closely related species are highlighted.

Insects, Aug 20, 2019

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most importan... more The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most important pests of tomato worldwide. However, in spite of its tremendous economic importance, the success of environmentally friendly measures to control the pest is still limited. Study of physiological and behavioral parameters that affect pheromone production has provided useful information for pest management. Our results show no clear difference in pheromone production by females over the period from 2 h before to 2 h after the scotophase. However, pheromone production was clearly dependent on female age, with young females producing the highest amount of each pheromone component 10 days after emergence. In the presence of the host plant (physical contact and olfaction of the plant volatiles), virgin and mated females produced higher amounts of the major component of the pheromone (TDTA) than those in the absence of plant and those devoid of olfaction (antennectomized) but in physical contact with the plant. In electrophysiological experiments, TDTA elicited slightly lower responses on male antennae than the pheromone mixture. When stimulated at certain time intervals after the first exposure to TDTA, male antennae became more sensitive to the stimulus (sensitization effect). For the first time in an insect of the family Gelechiidae, we have found that females are able to detect their own pheromone (autodetection). Altogether, our results may represent a step forward in the knowledge of the chemical communication of this important pest.

Physiological Entomology, Jun 1, 2001

Male Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) flying in a pheromone plume respond to the... more Male Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) flying in a pheromone plume respond to the loss of pheromone when they fly into a large pocket of clean air by going into crosswind casting flight in a mean of 0.48 s; 0.62 s after re-contacting pheromone presented as a single pulse, they surge upwind in a kind of narrow zigzagging flight. After 0.36 s of surging, they lapse into casting flight once again in the clean air following the pulse. The addition of a known behavioural antagonist (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Zl l-16:Ac), to the pheromone significantly increases the mean latency of the response to a single pulse to 0.85 s. No other aspects of the surge were significantly changed by the presence of antagonist in the single pulse of pheromone. Thus, unlike males • of the related species, Heliothis virescens, which show signifi cant changes in track and course angles when antagonist is present in single pulses, only an increased latency of response to a filament containing antagonist occurred in H. zea males. The increased latency could act cumulatively when the male is exposed rapidly and repeatedly to fi laments in a natural plume and explain the profound arrestment effect of the antagonist in such plumes. The latencies to casting and surging in response to a pulse of pheromone blend are longer than those of the smaller species, H. virescens, and may be due to size-related differences in manoeuverability of H. zea vs. H. virescens.

Scientific Reports, Jan 13, 2021

Plant essential oils are considered as important bio-sources for the development of natural and e... more Plant essential oils are considered as important bio-sources for the development of natural and environmentally safe pest control tools due to their multiple modes of action on insects. In this paper we have evaluated the activity of commercially available thyme oil and its constituents thymol, carvacrol, and p-cymene, as potential disruptants of the pheromone-mediated communication in the major pest moths Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). In electroantennographic assays, the antennal response of males to thyme oil, thymol, and carvacrol was altered at high doses (10 3-10 4 µg), shifting the signal waveform into a biphasic negative-positive potential that caused a decay in the response. In wind tunnel assays, pheromone-mediated attraction of males of both species was interrupted in presence of thyme oil. Further trials demonstrated that thymol alone reduced the number of G. molesta and S. littoralis males landing on the pheromone source. This effect did not differ from that of thyme oil, although the latter provoked a significant reduction on downwind behavior steps in S. littoralis. Overall, our findings provide a preliminary basis for delving into the effect of thyme oil, and especially of its major constituent thymol, as potential mating disruptants of both species.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Organic Letters, Aug 31, 1999

ABSTRACT

The Journal of Experimental Biology, 2020

Jewel beetles are colorful insects, which use vision to recognize their conspecifics and can be l... more Jewel beetles are colorful insects, which use vision to recognize their conspecifics and can be lured with colored traps. We investigated the retina and coloration of one member of this family, the flathead oak borer Coraebus undatus using microscopy, spectrometry, polarimetry, electroretinography and intracellular recordings of photoreceptor cell responses. The compound eyes are built of a highly unusual mosaic of mirror-symmetric or chiral ommatidia that are randomly rotated along the body axes. Each ommatidium has eight photoreceptors, two of them having rhabdomeres in tiers. The eyes contain six spectral classes of photoreceptors, peaking in the UV, blue, green and red. Most photoreceptors have moderate polarization sensitivity with randomly distributed angular maxima. The beetles have the necessary retinal substrate for complex color vision, required to recognize conspecifics and suitable for a targeted design of color traps. However, the jewel beetle array of freely rotated ommatidia is very different from the ordered mosaic in insects that have object-directed polarization vision. We propose that ommatidial rotation enables the cancelling out of polarization signals, thus allowing stable color vision, similar to the rhabdomeric twist in the eyes of flies and honeybees.

Pest Management Science, Jul 5, 2012

BACKGROUND: Some twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) may vector pitc... more BACKGROUND: Some twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) may vector pitch canker disease Fusarium circinatum (Niremberg & O'Donnell) of Pinus spp. (Pinaceae). Because Pityophthorus pubescens (Marsh.) has been found to be associated with F. circinatum in the Basque Country (northern Spain), various experiments were conducted to assess the beetle's behavioural responses to (E, E)-α-farnesene, (R)-(+)-limonene and (S)-(−)-verbenone to develop a potential inhibitor to host attraction. These experiments comprise electroantennographic and double-choice olfactometer tests, as well as field assays in Pinus radiata D. Don stands. RESULTS: Both sexes of P. pubescens showed similar electroantennographic responses to different doses (from 1 ng to 1 µg in decadic steps) of each individual compound, with depolarisations to (S)-(-)-verbenone (100 ng) being similar to those of the aggregation pheromone (+)-trans-pityol. In olfactometer assays, both sexes were significantly attracted to (+)-trans-pityol, but the attraction was reduced when increasing amounts of the chemicals were added to the pheromone. Particularly relevant was the repellent effect induced by (S)-(−)-verbenone at 1 ng dose and higher. In the field, (E, E)-α-farnesene, (R)-(+)-limonene and (S)-(−)-verbenone reduced significantly the number of beetles attracted to (+)-trans-pityol and racemic trans-pityol, with (S)-(−)-verbenone being the most effective. CONCLUSIONS: (S)-(−)-Verbenone showed an interesting potential for use in the protection of P. radiata stands. A potentially effective strategy, which could be implemented in further, more in-depth studies, could involve the use of this semiochemical as repellent and (+)-trans-pityol-baited traps as attractant in a 'push-pull' strategy.

In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Ge... more In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been neglected so far. In this work we provide the first evidence of a biologically active male-specific compound that may be promoting field aggregation. Headspace collections by solid-phase microextraction from feral males and females reported the presence of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine exclusively on males. Electroantennographic recordings revealed that males and females responded in a dose-dependent manner to increasing stimuli of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, with females overall displaying a higher response than males. In dual-choice tests, both males and females showed a significant preference for the compound in comparison to a pure air stimulus. In the light of these results, the possible role of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine as an aggregation cue in L. lusitanica is discussed.

Science of The Total Environment, 2016

Four polymers were characterized by MALDI-TOF/MS. • Polycaprolactonediol 1250 polymer was used as... more Four polymers were characterized by MALDI-TOF/MS. • Polycaprolactonediol 1250 polymer was used as probe to assess ecosystem functioning. • Polycaprolactone diol 1250 probes were tested in mesocosoms and in river. • MALDI-TOF/MS spectra reflect changes undergone by probes after exposure.

Journal of Chemical Ecology, Apr 1, 2012

Studies designed to investigate the chemical ecology of the black-banded oak borer (BBOB) Coroebu... more Studies designed to investigate the chemical ecology of the black-banded oak borer (BBOB) Coroebus florentinus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) are presented for the first time. The volatile composition of male and female odors did not show qualitative nor quantitative differences. Nonanal, decanal, and geranylacetone, identified from the headspace volatiles of both sexes, were clearly active on male antennae in electroantennographic assays, but scarcely on females. In dual-choice olfactometer experiments, blend of these compounds was attractive to both sexes, with males responding particularly to decanal alone and females to geranylacetone suggesting that these two compounds are the responsible chemicals for activity in the blend for each sex. These results emphasized obvious differences in the volatile perception of males and females. Antennae of both sexes displayed GC-EAD responses to the green leaf volatiles (GLVs) (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-hexenol, 1-hexanol, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, and nhexyl acetate, identified from the host plant Quercus suber. In behavioral experiments, only females were attracted to the host plant odors, particularly to (E)-2-hexenol, 1hexanol, and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, suggesting that these compounds could play an important role in the foraging and/or oviposition behavior of BBOB females.

Journal of Pest Science

The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a key pest species of wild... more The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a key pest species of wild and cultivated olive trees worldwide. Contrarily to most tephritid flies, in which males release the sex pheromone, in B. oleae the female is the sex responsible of attracting the opposite sex. However, and even though vast research has been done during the last decades, we are still far from understanding the chemical signals involved in the sexual communication of this species, including those produced by males. Here, we report for the first time the presence of two male-specific volatile compounds, namely γ-hexalactone and δ-hexalactone, with the former exerting a significant attraction upon both sexes under laboratory and field conditions. Volatile collections conducted on laboratory-reared virgin individuals of both sexes revealed the presence of these two compounds only in males, regardless of their age. In double-choice behavioral assays, γ-hexalactone resulted to be attractive f...

Journal of Medical Entomology, 2021

Lachryphagous males of Phortica variegata (Fallén, 1823) are gaining increasing attention in Euro... more Lachryphagous males of Phortica variegata (Fallén, 1823) are gaining increasing attention in Europe, as they act as vectors of the nematode Thelazia callipaeda Railliet & Henry, 1910, causal agent of thelaziosis, an emergent zoonotic disease. Currently, there are no effective control strategies against the vector, and surveillance and monitoring rely on time-consuming and nonselective sampling methods. Our aim was to improve the knowledge about the population dynamics and the chemical ecology of the species. A total of 5,726 P. variegata flies (96.4% males and 3.6% females, mostly gravid) were collected in field experiments during June–September of 2020 in an oak forest in northern Spain. Our results indicate that 1) by means of sweep netting a significantly higher number of captures were found both around the collector´s body and in the air than at ground level; 2) a positive relationship was detected between the abundance of Phortica flies and temperature, with two significant pea...

Insects

In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Ge... more In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been neglected so far. In this work, we provide the first evidence of a biologically active male-specific compound that may be promoting field aggregation. Headspace collections through solid-phase microextraction from feral males and females reported the presence of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine exclusively in males. Electroantennographic recordings revealed that males and females responded in a dose-dependent manner to increasing stimuli of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, with females overall displaying a higher response than males. In dual-choice tests, both males and females showed a significant preference for the compound in comparison to a pure air stimulus. In light of these results, the possible role of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine as an aggregation cue in L. lusitanica is discussed.

Insect Science, Jul 22, 2014

The flathead oak borer Coroebus undatus F. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is one of the primary pests ... more The flathead oak borer Coroebus undatus F. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is one of the primary pests of cork oak Quercus suber L. in the Mediterranean region causing great economic losses to the cork industry. Very little is known about its biology and behavior and, so far, no control measures have been established. We present the results of a pilot study aimed to develop an efficient trapping method for monitoring this harmful pest. In a 3-year field study, purple-colored prism traps baited with a mixture of green leaf volatiles (GLVs) from the host have been shown the most effective combination to catch C. undatus adults (solely females) compared to other trap and lure types tested. Wavelength and reflectance measurements revealed that purple traps exhibit reflectance peak values similar to those found in the abdominal and elytral cuticle of both sexes, suggesting the involvement of visual cues for mate location in this species. The data presented are the first to demonstrate captures of adults of the genus Coroebus by an attractant-based trapping method.

Journal of Medical Entomology, Nov 8, 2021

BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Journal of Comparative Physiology A-neuroethology Sensory Neural and Behavioral Physiology, Aug 29, 2017

effect displayed by the minor component for a more effective discrimination of the pheromone bouq... more effect displayed by the minor component for a more effective discrimination of the pheromone bouquets of other closely related species are highlighted.

Insects, Aug 20, 2019

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most importan... more The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most important pests of tomato worldwide. However, in spite of its tremendous economic importance, the success of environmentally friendly measures to control the pest is still limited. Study of physiological and behavioral parameters that affect pheromone production has provided useful information for pest management. Our results show no clear difference in pheromone production by females over the period from 2 h before to 2 h after the scotophase. However, pheromone production was clearly dependent on female age, with young females producing the highest amount of each pheromone component 10 days after emergence. In the presence of the host plant (physical contact and olfaction of the plant volatiles), virgin and mated females produced higher amounts of the major component of the pheromone (TDTA) than those in the absence of plant and those devoid of olfaction (antennectomized) but in physical contact with the plant. In electrophysiological experiments, TDTA elicited slightly lower responses on male antennae than the pheromone mixture. When stimulated at certain time intervals after the first exposure to TDTA, male antennae became more sensitive to the stimulus (sensitization effect). For the first time in an insect of the family Gelechiidae, we have found that females are able to detect their own pheromone (autodetection). Altogether, our results may represent a step forward in the knowledge of the chemical communication of this important pest.

Physiological Entomology, Jun 1, 2001

Male Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) flying in a pheromone plume respond to the... more Male Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) flying in a pheromone plume respond to the loss of pheromone when they fly into a large pocket of clean air by going into crosswind casting flight in a mean of 0.48 s; 0.62 s after re-contacting pheromone presented as a single pulse, they surge upwind in a kind of narrow zigzagging flight. After 0.36 s of surging, they lapse into casting flight once again in the clean air following the pulse. The addition of a known behavioural antagonist (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Zl l-16:Ac), to the pheromone significantly increases the mean latency of the response to a single pulse to 0.85 s. No other aspects of the surge were significantly changed by the presence of antagonist in the single pulse of pheromone. Thus, unlike males • of the related species, Heliothis virescens, which show signifi cant changes in track and course angles when antagonist is present in single pulses, only an increased latency of response to a filament containing antagonist occurred in H. zea males. The increased latency could act cumulatively when the male is exposed rapidly and repeatedly to fi laments in a natural plume and explain the profound arrestment effect of the antagonist in such plumes. The latencies to casting and surging in response to a pulse of pheromone blend are longer than those of the smaller species, H. virescens, and may be due to size-related differences in manoeuverability of H. zea vs. H. virescens.

Scientific Reports, Jan 13, 2021

Plant essential oils are considered as important bio-sources for the development of natural and e... more Plant essential oils are considered as important bio-sources for the development of natural and environmentally safe pest control tools due to their multiple modes of action on insects. In this paper we have evaluated the activity of commercially available thyme oil and its constituents thymol, carvacrol, and p-cymene, as potential disruptants of the pheromone-mediated communication in the major pest moths Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). In electroantennographic assays, the antennal response of males to thyme oil, thymol, and carvacrol was altered at high doses (10 3-10 4 µg), shifting the signal waveform into a biphasic negative-positive potential that caused a decay in the response. In wind tunnel assays, pheromone-mediated attraction of males of both species was interrupted in presence of thyme oil. Further trials demonstrated that thymol alone reduced the number of G. molesta and S. littoralis males landing on the pheromone source. This effect did not differ from that of thyme oil, although the latter provoked a significant reduction on downwind behavior steps in S. littoralis. Overall, our findings provide a preliminary basis for delving into the effect of thyme oil, and especially of its major constituent thymol, as potential mating disruptants of both species.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Organic Letters, Aug 31, 1999

ABSTRACT

The Journal of Experimental Biology, 2020

Jewel beetles are colorful insects, which use vision to recognize their conspecifics and can be l... more Jewel beetles are colorful insects, which use vision to recognize their conspecifics and can be lured with colored traps. We investigated the retina and coloration of one member of this family, the flathead oak borer Coraebus undatus using microscopy, spectrometry, polarimetry, electroretinography and intracellular recordings of photoreceptor cell responses. The compound eyes are built of a highly unusual mosaic of mirror-symmetric or chiral ommatidia that are randomly rotated along the body axes. Each ommatidium has eight photoreceptors, two of them having rhabdomeres in tiers. The eyes contain six spectral classes of photoreceptors, peaking in the UV, blue, green and red. Most photoreceptors have moderate polarization sensitivity with randomly distributed angular maxima. The beetles have the necessary retinal substrate for complex color vision, required to recognize conspecifics and suitable for a targeted design of color traps. However, the jewel beetle array of freely rotated ommatidia is very different from the ordered mosaic in insects that have object-directed polarization vision. We propose that ommatidial rotation enables the cancelling out of polarization signals, thus allowing stable color vision, similar to the rhabdomeric twist in the eyes of flies and honeybees.

Pest Management Science, Jul 5, 2012

BACKGROUND: Some twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) may vector pitc... more BACKGROUND: Some twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) may vector pitch canker disease Fusarium circinatum (Niremberg & O'Donnell) of Pinus spp. (Pinaceae). Because Pityophthorus pubescens (Marsh.) has been found to be associated with F. circinatum in the Basque Country (northern Spain), various experiments were conducted to assess the beetle's behavioural responses to (E, E)-α-farnesene, (R)-(+)-limonene and (S)-(−)-verbenone to develop a potential inhibitor to host attraction. These experiments comprise electroantennographic and double-choice olfactometer tests, as well as field assays in Pinus radiata D. Don stands. RESULTS: Both sexes of P. pubescens showed similar electroantennographic responses to different doses (from 1 ng to 1 µg in decadic steps) of each individual compound, with depolarisations to (S)-(-)-verbenone (100 ng) being similar to those of the aggregation pheromone (+)-trans-pityol. In olfactometer assays, both sexes were significantly attracted to (+)-trans-pityol, but the attraction was reduced when increasing amounts of the chemicals were added to the pheromone. Particularly relevant was the repellent effect induced by (S)-(−)-verbenone at 1 ng dose and higher. In the field, (E, E)-α-farnesene, (R)-(+)-limonene and (S)-(−)-verbenone reduced significantly the number of beetles attracted to (+)-trans-pityol and racemic trans-pityol, with (S)-(−)-verbenone being the most effective. CONCLUSIONS: (S)-(−)-Verbenone showed an interesting potential for use in the protection of P. radiata stands. A potentially effective strategy, which could be implemented in further, more in-depth studies, could involve the use of this semiochemical as repellent and (+)-trans-pityol-baited traps as attractant in a 'push-pull' strategy.

In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Ge... more In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been neglected so far. In this work we provide the first evidence of a biologically active male-specific compound that may be promoting field aggregation. Headspace collections by solid-phase microextraction from feral males and females reported the presence of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine exclusively on males. Electroantennographic recordings revealed that males and females responded in a dose-dependent manner to increasing stimuli of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, with females overall displaying a higher response than males. In dual-choice tests, both males and females showed a significant preference for the compound in comparison to a pure air stimulus. In the light of these results, the possible role of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine as an aggregation cue in L. lusitanica is discussed.

Science of The Total Environment, 2016

Four polymers were characterized by MALDI-TOF/MS. • Polycaprolactonediol 1250 polymer was used as... more Four polymers were characterized by MALDI-TOF/MS. • Polycaprolactonediol 1250 polymer was used as probe to assess ecosystem functioning. • Polycaprolactone diol 1250 probes were tested in mesocosoms and in river. • MALDI-TOF/MS spectra reflect changes undergone by probes after exposure.

Journal of Chemical Ecology, Apr 1, 2012

Studies designed to investigate the chemical ecology of the black-banded oak borer (BBOB) Coroebu... more Studies designed to investigate the chemical ecology of the black-banded oak borer (BBOB) Coroebus florentinus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) are presented for the first time. The volatile composition of male and female odors did not show qualitative nor quantitative differences. Nonanal, decanal, and geranylacetone, identified from the headspace volatiles of both sexes, were clearly active on male antennae in electroantennographic assays, but scarcely on females. In dual-choice olfactometer experiments, blend of these compounds was attractive to both sexes, with males responding particularly to decanal alone and females to geranylacetone suggesting that these two compounds are the responsible chemicals for activity in the blend for each sex. These results emphasized obvious differences in the volatile perception of males and females. Antennae of both sexes displayed GC-EAD responses to the green leaf volatiles (GLVs) (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-hexenol, 1-hexanol, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, and nhexyl acetate, identified from the host plant Quercus suber. In behavioral experiments, only females were attracted to the host plant odors, particularly to (E)-2-hexenol, 1hexanol, and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, suggesting that these compounds could play an important role in the foraging and/or oviposition behavior of BBOB females.

Journal of Pest Science

The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a key pest species of wild... more The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a key pest species of wild and cultivated olive trees worldwide. Contrarily to most tephritid flies, in which males release the sex pheromone, in B. oleae the female is the sex responsible of attracting the opposite sex. However, and even though vast research has been done during the last decades, we are still far from understanding the chemical signals involved in the sexual communication of this species, including those produced by males. Here, we report for the first time the presence of two male-specific volatile compounds, namely γ-hexalactone and δ-hexalactone, with the former exerting a significant attraction upon both sexes under laboratory and field conditions. Volatile collections conducted on laboratory-reared virgin individuals of both sexes revealed the presence of these two compounds only in males, regardless of their age. In double-choice behavioral assays, γ-hexalactone resulted to be attractive f...

Journal of Medical Entomology, 2021

Lachryphagous males of Phortica variegata (Fallén, 1823) are gaining increasing attention in Euro... more Lachryphagous males of Phortica variegata (Fallén, 1823) are gaining increasing attention in Europe, as they act as vectors of the nematode Thelazia callipaeda Railliet & Henry, 1910, causal agent of thelaziosis, an emergent zoonotic disease. Currently, there are no effective control strategies against the vector, and surveillance and monitoring rely on time-consuming and nonselective sampling methods. Our aim was to improve the knowledge about the population dynamics and the chemical ecology of the species. A total of 5,726 P. variegata flies (96.4% males and 3.6% females, mostly gravid) were collected in field experiments during June–September of 2020 in an oak forest in northern Spain. Our results indicate that 1) by means of sweep netting a significantly higher number of captures were found both around the collector´s body and in the air than at ground level; 2) a positive relationship was detected between the abundance of Phortica flies and temperature, with two significant pea...