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Pheromone chemistry of the Neotropical cerambycid beetles Achryson surinamum and Sphaerion inerme

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Abstract

During field screening trials in Brazil, adults of both sexes of the cerambycid beetle Achryson surinamum (L.) (Cerambycinae: Achrysonini) were significantly attracted to racemic anti-2,3-octanediol, previously identified as a sex and aggregation-sex pheromone of various cerambycid species across different continents. Analyses of beetle-produced volatiles revealed that males of A. surinamum sex-specifically produce (2S,3R)-2,3-octanediol, as well as lesser amounts of (S)-2-methylbutan-1-ol. In field trials, both sexes of beetles were attracted by reconstructions of the species’ pheromone blend with synthesized components, confirming males produce an aggregation-sex pheromone. During the trials, the cerambycine Sphaerion inerme White (Elaphidiini) was attracted to some of the test lures, providing leads to its attractant pheromone. Subsequent analysis of extracts of headspace volatiles from live adults of S. inerme revealed that males produce a blend of (R)-2-methylbutan-1-ol and (R)-2-methylpentan-1-ol. In field tests, blends of racemic 2-methylbutan-1-ol+2-methylpentan-1-ol attracted significant numbers of beetles of both sexes. This study provides further examples of how identification of attractant pheromones of cerambycid species can be expedited by leveraging prior knowledge of the pheromone chemistry of related species.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Araci R. Silva, Cassio D. Silva (Valentim Gentil), Fernando Z. Madalon (USP/ESALQ, Piracicaba), and the staff at the Department of Forest Sciences of USP/ESALQ (Experimental Station of Forest Science at Itatinga) for their invaluable support during the field experiments. Special recognition goes to Antonio Santos-Silva of the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo, MZUSP, whose expertise was pivotal in identifying the cerambycid species. Field collections of the study species in Brazil were conducted under SISBIO permit #46395 from the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment. Our work adheres to ethical guidelines, registered with the National System for the Management of Genetic Heritage and Associated Traditional Knowledge (SisGen, Brazil) under #AE3897B.

Funding

This work was supported by INCT-Semioquímicos na Agricultura (FAPESP grant # 2014/50871–0 and CNPQ grant # 465511/2014–7 to J.M.B.), Sao Paulo Research Foundation (grant # 2013/26936–2 to W.D.S.) and the United States Department of Agriculture—Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (grant #s 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21–8130-1422-CA to J.G.M. and L.M.H., and grant #s 21, 22, and 23–8130-0909-CA to W.D.S.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology and Acarology, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, 13418900, Brazil

    Weliton D. Silva & José Mauricio S. Bento

  2. Departments of Entomology and Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA

    Yunfan Zou & Jocelyn G. Millar

  3. Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA

    Lawrence M. Hanks

Authors
  1. Weliton D. Silva
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  2. Yunfan Zou
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  3. Lawrence M. Hanks
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  4. José Mauricio S. Bento
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  5. Jocelyn G. Millar
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design. W.D.S. collected insects, prepared extracts, performed initial chemical analyses, and conducted field bioassays. J.G.M. identified compounds, and Y.Z. synthesized several of the compounds used in this study. W.D.S. and L.M.H. carried out the statistical analyses. W.D.S. wrote the first draft of the manuscript, J.G.M. added sections related to chemistry, and J.G.M. and L.M.H. reviewed and edited the manuscript. Funding was acquired via grants submitted by L.M.H., J.M.B., and J.G.M. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Weliton D. Silva.

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Additional information

Communicated by Günther Raspotnig.

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Silva, W.D., Zou, Y., Hanks, L.M. et al. Pheromone chemistry of the Neotropical cerambycid beetles Achryson surinamum and Sphaerion inerme. Chemoecology (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-024-00401-w

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