Is the sex communication of two pyralid moths, Plodia interpunctella and Ephestia kuehniella, under circadian clock regulation?

Females of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella, and females of the Mediterranean flour month, Ephestia kuehniella (both Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), exhibit daily rhythms in calling behavior. The peak in P. interpunctella calling occurs at dusk, whereas E. kuehniella calls preferentially at dawn...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of biological rhythms Vol. 27; no. 3; p. 206
Main Authors Závodská, Radka, Fexová, Silvie, von Wowern, Germund, Han, Gui-Biao, Dolezel, David, Sauman, Ivo
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.06.2012
Subjects
Animal Communication
Animals
Circadian Rhythm
Female
Hormones - metabolism
Immunohistochemistry - methods
Insecta
Light
Male
Models, Biological
Moths - physiology
Neuropeptides - chemistry
Pheromones - metabolism
Pigmentation
Sex Attractants
Sex Factors
Sexual Behavior, Animal
Species Specificity
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Summary:Females of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella, and females of the Mediterranean flour month, Ephestia kuehniella (both Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), exhibit daily rhythms in calling behavior. The peak in P. interpunctella calling occurs at dusk, whereas E. kuehniella calls preferentially at dawn. This behavior turned arrhythmic in P. interpunctella females in constant darkness (DD) and remained arrhythmic in constant light (LL), whereas E. kuehniella females showed a persistent rhythm in DD and suppression of the behavior in LL, indicating regulation by a circadian clock mechanism. The rhythm of male locomotor activity corresponded well with the sexual activity of females, reaching the peak at dusk in P. interpunctella and at dawn in E. kuehniella. An immunohistochemical study of the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide, corazonin, and pigment dispersing factor revealed distinct sets of neurons in the brain-subesophageal complex and in the neurohemal organs of the 2 species.
ISSN:1552-4531
DOI:10.1177/0748730412440689