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Attraction of Canthon vazquezae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) to Volatiles Released by Messicobolus magnificus (Diplopoda: Spirobolida)

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Abstract

Dung beetles of the Scarabaeinae subfamily are present in temperate and tropical ecosystems. Some species of these insects feed on millipede carcasses. The objective of this study was to determine the attraction of Canthon vazquezae to volatiles released by Messicobolus magnificus. The bioassay was performed using a Y-glass tube olfactometer. Canthon vazquezae was significantly attracted to dead M. magnificus, as well as stressed and wounded individuals. In contrast, unstressed M. magnificus did not attract C. vazquezae. The volatiles released by M. magnificus in stressed, wounded, and dead states were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (CG-MS). Six compounds were tentatively identified as 2-methyl-p-benzoquinone, trimethyl-p-benzoquinone, 1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene, 2-methyl hydroquinone, 2,5-dimethoxythiophenol, and 3,4-dimethoxyphenol. Some of these compounds have been identified as attractants to other coleopterans.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the staff of the Cañón del Sumidero National Park for the logistical support during the development of the field work. Also, to the Chemical Ecology Laboratory of El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Tapachula campus, for the support during the development of the present investigation.

Funding

This research was carried out thanks to the financing of El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), and a master’s scholarship granted to C. Misraim Edivaldo Rodríguez López, by the Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) CVU number: 781562.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Ecologia y Manejo de Plagas, Departmento de Agricultura, Sociedad y Ambiente, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Carretera Antiguo Aeropuerto Km. 2.5, CP 30700, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico

    M. E. Rodríguez-López & Edi A. Malo

  2. Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, Carretra Panamericana y Periferico Sur, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, s/n., Barrio de María Auxiliadora, CP 29290, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

    M. E. Rodríguez-López & Benigno Gómez y Gómez

  3. Area Académica de Biología, Laboratorio de Sistemática Animal, Ciudad del Conocimiento, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Km. 4.5 Carretera Pachuca Tulancingo, Colonia Carboneras, CP 42184, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico

    Julián Bueno-Villegas

Authors
  1. M. E. Rodríguez-López
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  2. Benigno Gómez y Gómez
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  3. Julián Bueno-Villegas
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  4. Edi A. Malo
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Contributions

Misraim Edivaldo Rodríguez López: Organized the logistics, carried out the field work, the taxonomic determination of C. vazquezae, database, laboratory bioassays, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. Benigno Gómez y Gómez: Carried out the conceptualization and design of the field work and wrote the manuscript. Julián Bueno Villegas: Made the taxonomic determination of M. magnificus and wrote the manuscript. Edi Álvaro Malo Rivera: Performed the conceptualization and design of the laboratory and field work, drafted the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Edi A. Malo.

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Rodríguez-López, M.E., y Gómez, B.G., Bueno-Villegas, J. et al. Attraction of Canthon vazquezae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) to Volatiles Released by Messicobolus magnificus (Diplopoda: Spirobolida). J Insect Behav 34, 255–263 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-021-09785-x

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