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Chemical composition of anal droplets of the eusocial gall-inducing thrips Kladothrips intermedius

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Abstract

The eusocial Acacia gall-inducing thrips Kladothrips intermedius (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripinae) secretes defensive anal droplets when threatened. In addition to harmful substances, droplets of other thysanopteran species are known to contain semiochemicals such as alarm pheromones and/or repellents against enemies. Both Kl. intermedius larval stages and adult castes (soldiers and dispersers) produce anal droplets. In addition, a recent study has shown that soldier droplets may contain an alarm pheromone. Using multiple sampling methods (extraction in solvent, solid phase microextraction and direct injection), we analyzed the content of adults and second instar larvae anal droplets by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Anal droplets comprised of a set of saturated and monounsaturated short-chain fatty acids, including three compounds with a terminal double bond (7-octenoic acid, 8-nonenoic acid and 9-decenoic acid). The latter are here reported for the first time in an insect species. In addition, putative unsaturated wax esters similar to those found in the secretion of other social insects were also detected in droplets. In order to investigate the physiological activity of the acids, single sensillum recordings were performed on adult Kl. intermedius as well as on adults of its kleptoparasite, Koptothrips dyskritus, targeting olfactory receptor neurons in the antennal sensilla basiconica. While olfactory perception of the acids in these species cannot be completely excluded, our analyses indicate that sensilla basiconica are not strongly sensitive to these droplet compounds.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to several collaborators for providing us fresh galls: TWC’s past and present students Glean Gonsalves, Holly Caravan, Krista Oke and Jake Coates at the Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada), Martin O’Leary and Daniel Duval at the South Australian State Herbarium, Len Davis and Peter Cale at Calperum Station (Australian Landscape Trust), Des Coleman at the University of Adelaide. This study was funded by the Swedish Research Council (OA, TWC), the Kungliga Fysiografiska Sällskapet i Lund (“Academy for science, medicine and technology”) (OA, MDF) and the Foundation in memory of Lars Hierta (MDF).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden

    Monica De Facci, Hong-Lei Wang, Jothi K. Yuvaraj, Glenn P. Svensson & Olle Anderbrant

  2. Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 102, 230 53, Alnarp, Sweden

    Ian A. N. Dublon

  3. Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada

    Thomas W. Chapman

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  1. Monica De Facci
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  2. Hong-Lei Wang
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  4. Ian A. N. Dublon
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  5. Glenn P. Svensson
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  7. Olle Anderbrant
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Correspondence to Monica De Facci.

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Handling Editor: Michael Heethoff.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

49_2014_147_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Online Resource 1. Responses of sensilla basiconica of adult Kladothrips intermedius females and Koptothrips dyskritus investigated by means of single sensillum recording (SSR). (PDF 123 kb)

Online Resource 2. Mass spectra of unknown compounds. (PDF 2508 kb)

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De Facci, M., Wang, HL., Yuvaraj, J.K. et al. Chemical composition of anal droplets of the eusocial gall-inducing thrips Kladothrips intermedius . Chemoecology 24, 85–94 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-014-0147-4

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