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Chemical Attraction of Conspecifics in Folsomia candida (Collembola)

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Abstract

Chemical substances excreted from individuals are regarded as chemo-sensory signals that induce aggregation in Collembola. However, chemical or physiological evidence is required to identify the chemical composition of signals responsible for aggregation behavior. Present study applied solvent extraction and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer-computer technology to separate and identify the chemical compounds in cuticle extracts from the model Collembola species, Folsomia candida. The occurrence of aggregation behavior was confirmed by conspecific attractiveness using a trap bioassay. Eight chemical compounds were obtained from F. candida’s cuticle solvent. The trap assay detected fatty acid combinations from the body extracts of F. candida that induced attractiveness behavior among conspecific individuals and small molecules with higher concentration induced repellent. However, single sensillum recordings of two thin-wall chemical receptors at the second segment of the distal position of the antenna did not receive any positive responses to fatty acids, either single or in combination. The way F. candida used fatty acid combinations as chemical signal for conspecific aggregating was discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the MPG CAS Joint Doctoral Promotion Programme (Dpp) and performed at Max-Plank Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany. We thank the director of Max-Plank Institute for Chemical Ecology and the faculties, PhD students and Postdoctoral fellows in the Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology for their many suggestions and technical support. We especially thank Bill S Hansson for organizing the work at Max-Plank, Hanny Deweck for SSR directing, and Kerstin Weniger for gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer training.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shengbei Street 4888, Changchun, 130102, China

    Jing Liu & Donghui Wu

  2. Quality and Safety Research Center of Agricultural Products, Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Meilingnan Street 9, Hangzhou, 310008, China

    Jing Liu

  3. Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Room 221, Building of Wetland, Shengbei Street 4888, Changchun, 130102, China

    Jing Liu

  4. College of Earth Science, Jilin University, Jianshe street 2199, Jilin, 130061, China

    Donghui Wu

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  1. Jing Liu
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  2. Donghui Wu
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Correspondence to Donghui Wu.

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Funding

The research under the auspices of National Key Rsearch and Development Program of China (2016YFA0602303) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41430857).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Liu, J., Wu, D. Chemical Attraction of Conspecifics in Folsomia candida (Collembola). J Insect Behav 30, 331–341 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-017-9620-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-017-9620-6

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