Ontogeny of Defensive Chemistry in Longitarsus Flea Beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae): More Protection for the Vulnerable Stages?

Several species of the flea beetles genus Longitarsus sequester pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) from their host plants. Previous data demonstrated that PAs may be transferred from root-feeding larvae into the adult beetles. Here we compared the patterns and concentrations found in larvae and pupae of L.

Author Correction: Volatiles Emitted by Calling Males of Burying Beetles and Ptomascopus morio (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Nicrophorinae) Are Biogenetically Related.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The name of the main component released by Nicrophorus defodiens in Fig. 1a should read "Fuscumyl acetate", not "Fuscumol".

Volatiles Emitted by Calling Males of Burying Beetles and Ptomascopus morio (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Nicrophorinae) Are Biogenetically Related.

In burying beetles, Nicrophorus spp. (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Nicrophorinae) mate finding is mediated by male produced volatile compounds. To date, pheromone components of only two species have been identified.

Social environment determines degree of chemical signalling.

Few studies have attempted to distinguish between cues and signals in the context of chemical communication. A number of chemical substances have been shown to vary with physiological state, such as stage of oestrus cycle, fertility, dominance status or nutritional condition, but little is known about whether this variation is incidental or adaptive. Here, we provide evidence of a substance whose emission varies with breeding state, but is not merely an incidental by-product of physiological state, but rather, an evolved signal.

Ethyl 4-methyl heptanoate: a male-produced pheromone of Nicrophorus vespilloides.

Sexually mature male beetles of the genus Nicrophorus (Coleoptera: Silphidae) exhibit a conspicuous behavior, recognized as pheromone-releasing activity. Laboratory and field studies demonstrated that females are attracted to males that exhibit this behavior, both on or off reproductive resources. Here, we report the results of a study in which volatile chemicals released by calling Nicrophorus vespilloides were collected by solid-phase microextraction and analyzed by using coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.