ISSN:
1573-1561
Keywords:
Heliothis virescens
;
Heliothis subflexa
;
caterpillar
;
diet breadth
;
deterrent compound
;
feeding behavior
;
postingestive toxicity
;
plant secondary metabolite
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Abstract Sensitivity of caterpillars of Heliothis virescens, a generalist, and H. subflexa, a specialist, to eight different plant secondary compounds was examined behaviorally. The compounds were nicotine hydrogen tartrate, hordenine, caffeine, sinigrin, linamarin, arbutin, chlorogenic acid, and salicin. All compounds deterred feeding, at least at the higher concentrations, but the generalist was less affected than the specialist. Thus the hypothesis that specialists have greater sensitivity to deterrents than generalists was supported. In most cases deterrence occurred on first encounter, indicating that the response was sensory; in some cases short-term postingestive effects also appeared to play a role. The larger quantities of deterrent-containing food ingested by H. virescens sometimes resulted in measurable postingestive effects during the second control test. This did not occur in H. subflexa, which more commonly rejected the deterrent-containing food on first contact. The contrast between the species is discussed in relation to tradeoffs involved in different diet breadths.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005430010314
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