Journal of Chemical Ecology (2005) 31, 1101-1110

William P. Shepherd, Brian T. Sullivan, Richard A. Goyer and Kier D. Klepzig (2005)
Electrophysiological and olfactometer responses of two histerid predators to three pine bark beetle pheromones
Journal of Chemical Ecology 31 (5), 1101-1110
Abstract: We measured electrophysiological responses in the antennae of two predaceous hister beetles, Platysoma parallelum and Plegaderus transversus, exposed to racemic mixtures of primary aggregation pheromones of scolytid bark beetle prey, ipsenol, ipsdienol, and frontalin. No significant differences were found for either histerid species between male and female antennal responses to any of the three pheromones. Measurement of antennal threshold responses indicated that Pla. parallelum has increasing antennal sensitivity to ipsdienol, ipsenol, and frontalin. In contrast, Ple. transversus exhibited similar detection thresholds to all three pheromones. Pla. parallelum antennae exhibited different response amplitudes to the three pheromones at quantities above the detection threshold, while Ple. transversus had similar responses to each. Behavioral responses to the same three pheromones were evaluated for both histerid species using pedestrian olfactometer bioassays. Both species were attracted to frontalin and ipsenol, but not ipsdienol. Pla. parallelum was significantly more attracted to frontalin than ipsenol, while Ple. transversus showed no significant preference for either compound. Our results suggest that histerids that prey upon pine bark beetles may have different host or host habitat preferences, which could reduce interspecific competition.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Brian T. Sullivan

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
pheromones/attractants/traps
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Platysoma parallelum (predator)
Plegaderus transversus (predator)