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Evidence For The Role Of Ecdysteroids In The Genital Sex Pheromone Of Two Species Of Hard Ticks, Dermacentor Variabilis (Say) And Dermacentor Andersoni Stiles, Demar Taylor
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Neutering of part-fed females virtually eliminated copulatory behavior in Dermacentor variabilis and D. andersoni males. Extracts from the anterior reproductive tracts (ART) of part-fed (7 days) females restored the male copulatory behavior in conspecific neutered females, suggesting the presence of a genital sex pheromone (GSP). Similar extracts from unfed females did not restore the behavior, suggesting that the pheromone was produced during feeding. Perception of the GSP by sensillae on the male cheliceral digits was confirmed by electrophysiological techniques.
Ecdysteroids, specifically ecdysone and 20-OH-ecdysone were shown to be present in the anterior reproductive tracts in excess of amounts that could …