Abstract
The presence of a female sex recognition pheromone was established for the tsetse fly, Glossina palpalis palpalis (Robineau-Desvoidy). Virgin males that emerged in a laboratory from wild-collected pupae, and wild males collected in the field, usually gave sexual responses including hypopygium flexing to live (90%) and freshly-killed (80%) conspecific females. Copulatory responses were not seen with hexane-rinsed female flies. Males showed courtship behavior to cork and shoelace knot decoys treated with female extract, also to those treated with female cuticular hydrocarbons at 1, 2, 5 and 10 female equivalents (f. eq.). Copulatory responses with hypopygium flexing to extracts scored 12.5 and 0% at 1 and 2 f. eq., while copulatory responses to hydrocarbons scored 20 and 27% at 1 and 2 f. eq. These scores were significantly different from those for untreated decoys.
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This paper reports the results of research only. Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement of this product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A portion of a thesis submitted by the first author as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of M.Sc. at Ahmadu Bello University.
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Offor, I.I., Carlson, D.A., Gadzama, N.M. et al. Sex Recognition Pheromone in the West African Tsetse Fly, Glossina Palpalis Palpalis (Robineau-Desvoidy). Int J Trop Insect Sci 1, 417–420 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400000795
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400000795