Analyses of volatiles produced by the African fruit fly species complex (Diptera, Tephritidae)

By

Břízová, Radka
Vaníčková, Lucie
Faťarová, Mária
Ekesi, Sunday
Hoskovec, Michal
Kalinová, Blanka

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2015

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

540

Pages

385-404

Subjects

Ceratitis FAR complex , Chemotaxonomy , GC×GC-TOFMS , GC-EAD , male and female-borne volatiles

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.540.9630

 

Abstract

Ceratitis fasciventris, Ceratitis anonae and Ceratitis rosa are polyphagous agricultural pests originating from the African continent. The taxonomy of this group (the so-called Ceratitis FAR complex) is unclear. To clarify the taxonomic relationships, male and female-produced volatiles presumably involved in pre-mating communication were studied using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) followed by multivariate analysis, and gas chromatography combined with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD). GC×GC-TOFMS analyses revealed sex specific differences in produced volatiles. Male volatiles are complex mixtures that differ both qualitatively and quantitatively but share some common compounds. GC-EAD analyses of male volatiles revealed that the antennal sensitivities of females significantly differ in the studied species. No female volatiles elicited antennal responses in males. The results show clear species-specific differences in volatile production and provide complementary information for the distinct delimitation of the putative species by chemotaxonomic markers.