Sex pheromone-stimulated orientation of the American cockroach on a servosphere apparatus

Abstract

Sex pheromone of the American cockroach,Periplaneta americana L., Orthoptera: Blattidae, stimulates positive anemotaxis and increased running speed when presented in an air stream. Locomotory pathways recorded from a servosphere device show that both straightness and direction of movement are concentration dependent. Cockroaches are apparently able to employ chemotaxis perpendicular to the wind while moving upwind by chemoanemotaxis.

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Bell, W.J., Kramer, E. Sex pheromone-stimulated orientation of the American cockroach on a servosphere apparatus. J Chem Ecol 6, 287–295 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01402908

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Key words

  • Sex pheromone
  • Periplaneta americana
  • Orthoptera
  • Blattidae
  • thigmotaxis
  • anemotaxis
  • chemotaxis