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Back to List of Background & Research Materials González,
J. M., R. W. Matthews & J. R. Matthews
A
SEX PHEROMONE IN MALES OF Melittobia
australica AND M. femorata
(HYMENOPTERA: EULOPHIDAE) Florida Entomologist 1985. 68(2): 279 - 286. Abstract: A 4-choice arena was used to test for evidence of a volatile male-produced attractant in macropterous and brachypterous forms of 2 closely related parasitic wasps, Melittobia australica Girault and M. femorata Dahms. Virgin females of both species and forms were strongly attracted to freshly killed mashed and intact males and to living males. They were unresponsive toward males which had been dead for at least 5 days and toward empty controls. Mated females were indifferent to males, regardless of male condition. Bioassays implicated the abdomen as the source of the male sex pheromone in both species. Melittobia Species Mentioned: Melittobia australica; M. femorata. Comments: The 4-choice arena is described and pictured. Table 1 shows the attraction
of females to conspecific males, dead and alive. Table 2 shows
female attraction to body regions of conspecific males.
The attraction of females of both species to conspecific males
in various conditions is shown in Figures 1 and 2.
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