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Characteristic odor of Osmoderma eremita identified as a male-released pheromone

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Author

  • Mattias C Larsson
  • Jonas Hedin
  • Glenn Svensson
  • T Tolasch
  • Wittko Francke

Summary, in English

Osmoderma eremita (Scopoli) is an endangered scarab beetle living in hollow trees. It has mainly been known for its characteristic odor, typically described as a fruity, peachlike or plumlike aroma. The odor emanating from a single beetle can sometimes be perceived from a distance of several meters. In this paper, we show that the characteristic odor from O. eremita is caused by the compound (R)-(C)-gamma-decalactone, released in large quantities mainly or exclusively by male beetles. Antennae from male and female beetles responded in a similar way to (R)-(C)-gamma-decalactone in electroantennographic recordings. Field trapping experiments showed that (R)-(C)-gamma-decalactone is a pheromone attracting female beetles. Lactones similar to (R)-(C)-gamma-decalactone are frequently used as female-released sex pheromones by phytophagous scarabs. This is, however, the first evidence of a lactone used as a male-produced pheromone in scarab beetles. We propose that the strong signal from males is a sexually selected trait used to compete for females and matings. The signal could work within trees but also act as a guide to tree hollows, which are an essential resource for O. eremita. Males may, thus, attract females dispersing from their natal tree by advertising a suitable habitat. This signal could also be exploited by other males searching for tree hollows or for females, which would explain the catch of several males in our traps.

Publishing year

2003

Language

English

Pages

575-587

Publication/Series

Journal of Chemical Ecology

Volume

29

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Springer

Topic

  • Zoology
  • Biological Sciences

Status

Published

Project

  • The PheroBio project (Pheromone monitoring of Biodiversity)

Research group

  • Pheromone Group

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1573-1561