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Cracking the olfactory code of a butterfly: the scent of ageing

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Nieberding, Caroline M. [UCL] Fischer, Klaus [Greifswald University, Germany] Saastamoinen, Marjo [Leiden University,the Netherlands ] Allen, Cerisse E. [University of Montana, Missoula, USA] Wallin, Erika A. [Mid Sweden University, Sweden] Brakefield, Paul M. [University Museum of Zoology Cambridge, Cambridge, UK]

Although olfaction is a primary mode of communication, its importance in sexual selection remains understudied. Here, using the butterfly Bicyclus anynana, we address all the parameters of importance to sexual selection for a male olfactory signal. We show that variation in the male sex pheromone composition indicates male identity and male age. Courting males of different ages display small absolute (c. 200 ng) but large relative (100%) change of one specific pheromone component (hexadecanal) which, unlike the other components, showed no heritability. Females prefer to mate with mid-aged over younger males and the pheromone composition is sufficient to determine this preference. Surprisingly refined information is thus present in the male olfactory signal and is used for sexual selection. Our data also reveal that there may be no Ôlek paradoxÕ to resolve once the precise signal of importance to females is identified, as hexadecanal is, as expected, depleted in additive genetic variation.

Document type Article de périodique (Journal article) – Article de recherche
Access type Accès restreint
Publication date 2012
Language Anglais
Journal information "Ecology Letters" - Vol. 15 (2012)
Peer reviewed yes
Publisher Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. ((United Kingdom) Oxford)
issn 1461-023X
e-issn 1461-0248
Publication status Publié
Affiliations UCL - SST/ELI/ELIB - Biodiversity
Greifswald University, Germany - Zoological Institute and Museum
Leiden University,the Netherlands - Evolutionary Biology Group, Institute of Biology
University of Montana, Missoula, USA - Division of Biological Sciences
Mid Sweden University, Sweden - Chemistry laboratory, Department of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics
University Museum of Zoology Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Keywords Age ; Bicyclus anynana ; Butterfly ; Hexadecanal ; Identity ; Lepidoptera ; Male sex pheromone ; Mate choice ; Olfactory communication ; Sexual selection ; Synthesis ; 3123
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Bibliographic reference Nieberding, Caroline M. ; Fischer, Klaus ; Saastamoinen, Marjo ; Allen, Cerisse E. ; Wallin, Erika A. ; et. al. Cracking the olfactory code of a butterfly: the scent of ageing. In: Ecology Letters, Vol. 15 (2012)
Permanent URL http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/109033