Solid Phase Microextraction of Volatile Emissions of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae): Influence of Fly Sex, Age, and Mating Status

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 59; no. 1; pp. 298 - 306
• Main Authors: Alfaro, Cristina, Vacas, Sandra, Zarzo, Manuel, Navarro-Llopis, Vicente, Primo, Jaime
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 12.01.2011
• Subjects: animal age; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Ceratitis capitata; Ceratitis capitata - chemistry; Ceratitis capitata - growth & development; Ceratitis capitata - physiology; chemical analysis; chemical composition; chemical compounds; Crop and Animal Protection Chemistry; emissions; Female; females; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gender differences; Male; males; mating behavior; microextraction; sex pheromones; Sexual Behavior, Animal; solid phase extraction; Solid Phase Microextraction - methods; Time Factors; volatile compounds; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis; Volatile Organic Compounds - isolation & purification; semiochemicals; solid phase microextraction; Ceratitis capitata; volatile profile; Volatile compound; Solid phase microextraction; Reproduction; Sex; S: Ceratitis capitata; Age; Profile
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf104183c

Considerable efforts have been devoted to understanding the courtship behavior and pheromone communication of medflies; however, the sex pheromone composition is still a controversial subject. The discovery of new components affecting medfly behavior would be of interest for medfly control methods based on semiochemicals. This work describes volatile compounds emitted by Ceratitis capitata collected using solid phase microextraction. The volatile study was conducted according to an experimental design with three factors (sex, age, and mating status) assumed to be relevant for better understanding the chemical communication. Emission data were treated by means of principal component analysis, a statistical methodology not previously applied to the study of volatiles emitted by fruit flies. The characterization of emission patterns could be useful for the selection of compounds to be further investigated in biological assays to improve knowledge of the key semiochemicals involved in medfly behavior.