3-Hydroxy-2-butanone and the first encounter fight in the male lobster cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea

Abstract

Although agonistic behavior in the male lobster cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea, has been known for more than 40 years, this is the first study to directly collect and quantify the emitted pheromones. In the present study, emitted volatile pheromones were collected from each male pair for 60 min during the first encounter fight and identified and quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The major compound collected was 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (3H-2B). The strength of the attack by the dominant male was classified into three categories from weakest (C) to strongest (A). Of the 92 pairs, eight (8.7%) showed no agonistic interactions, and the amount of 3H-2B collected was 121.8±37.7 ng/male pair. In the five pairs (5.4%) displaying attack strength C, the amount of 3H-2B collected was 689.6±273.7 ng/male pair, and the attack duration was 9.6±2.4 min. In the 53 pairs (57.6%) showing attack strength B, the corresponding values were 5396.2±449.0 ng/male pair and 22.7±1.6 min, while those for the 26 pairs (28.3%) showing attack strength A were 7910.4±1120.6 ng/male pair and 24.9±2.9 min. For both attack strengths A and B, a linear relationship was found between the amount of 3H-2B collected and attack duration, suggesting that the longer the duration of the attack, the more 3H-2B was emitted. In addition, the rate of 3H-2B emission for attack strength A was significantly higher than that for attack strength B. Using Vaseline-coating, we demonstrated that, in the first encounter fight, the 3H-2B was emitted by the dominant male.