The larvae of Tenebrio molitor Linne and Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) both aggregated upon substrates treated with aqueous extracts of conspecific larval frass. Lactic acid is a pheromone in the frass of both species. Alphitobius larvae were attracted to lactic acid, while lactic acid caused Tenebrio larvae to arrest. / Propionic acid is a repellent pheromone present in Tenebrio frass, but the lactic acid-induced response is dominant. The role of these chemical factors in population orientation of the larvae of these mealworm species is discussed. / The cuticular lipids of the larvae of both species contained close-range attractants that had a role in aggregate formation. The Tenebrio cuticular lipid pheromone is predominately 8,9-pentacosanediol. The Alphitobius cuticular pheromone is a mixture of at least two compounds. / The ecological preferences of these larvae suggested that these aggregation pheromones increased the density of individuals per unit volume. This increased density had varying effects on the physiological development of Tenebrio individuals.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.74340 |
| Date | January 1989 |
| Creators | Weaver, David K. (David Keith) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Entomology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001069662, proquestno: AAINN63699, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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