(R)-Desmolactone Is a Sex Pheromone or Sex Attractant for the Endangered Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle Desmocerus californicus dimorphus and Several Congeners (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae)

We report here that (4R,9Z)-hexadec-9-en-4-olide [(R)-desmolactone] is a sex attractant or sex pheromone for multiple species and subspecies in the cerambycid genus Desmocerus. This compound was previously identified as a female-produced sex attractant pheromone of Desmocerus californicus californicus. Headspace volatiles from female Desmocerus aureipennis aureipennis contained (R)-desmolactone, and the antennae of adult males of two species responded strongly to synthetic (R)-desmolactone in coupled gas chromatography-electroantennogram analyses. In field bioassays in California, Oregon, and British Columbia, traps baited with synthetic (R)-desmolactone captured males of several Desmocerus species and subspecies. Only male beetles were captured, indicating that this compound acts as a sex-specific attractant, rather than as a signal for aggregation. In targeted field bioassays, males of the US federally threatened subspecies Desmocerus californicus dimorphus responded to the synthetic attractant in a dose dependent manner. Our results represent the first example of a ‘‘generic’’ sex pheromone used by multiple species in the subfamily Lepturinae, and demonstrate that pheromone-baited traps may be a sensitive and efficient method of monitoring the threatened species Desmocerus californicus dimorphus, commonly known as the valley elderberry longhorn beetle

‘Nothing about us without us’ : disabled people determining their human rights through the UNCRPD

The human rights and fundamental freedoms of disabled persons are set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). This paper firstly focuses on the importance of the involvement of disabled people at all levels of decision-making. The second part of the paper identifies those aspects of the UNCRPD that reflect the direct involvement of disabled people. Finally, it considers how human rights bodies can best build on this specific aspect of the UNCRPD in order to realize the potential of the Convention as a determining factor in affirming disabled people rights in an effective and meaningful manner.peer-reviewe

A review of the Lepturinae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of the Pacific Northwest, with special attention to the elderberry longhorn beetle, Desmocerus Dejean

Here presented is a photographic catalogue, a key, and literature review for the 35 genera and 90 species of lepturine longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae) found in the Pacific Northwest. Several nomenclatural changes, recognized by the global taxonomic community, but previously unknown to North American authors, are adopted, and one new nomenclatural act is given. Within one genus, Desmocerus Dejean (Tribe Desmocerini), individuals were found that were inconsistent with the already described species. Additional specimens were obtained from throughout the known distribution of Desmocerus populations, and two genes, mitochondrial CO1 and nuclear 28S rDNA, were sequenced and analyzed to clarify species limits, and to construct a preliminary phylogenetic analysis for the genus. Based on the accumulated evidence, two new species from the Pacific Northwest are proposed, along with a revised taxonomy for Desmocerus. The review is intended to be legible to the non-professional public, like a field guide, but contains as much technical information as possible to facilitate further study by researchers, citizen scientists, and teachers who might incorporate the study of insects into their classroom

SchapkerPhilipIntegrativeBiologyR-Desmolactone_SupportingInformation.zip

We report here that (4R,9Z)-hexadec-9-en-4-olide [(R)-desmolactone] is a sex attractant or sex pheromone for multiple species and subspecies in the cerambycid genus Desmocerus. This compound was previously identified as a female-produced sex attractant pheromone of Desmocerus californicus californicus. Headspace volatiles from female Desmocerus aureipennis aureipennis contained (R)-desmolactone, and the antennae of adult males of two species responded strongly to synthetic (R)-desmolactone in coupled gas chromatography-electroantennogram analyses. In field bioassays in California, Oregon, and British Columbia, traps baited with synthetic (R)-desmolactone captured males of several Desmocerus species and subspecies. Only male beetles were captured, indicating that this compound acts as a sex-specific attractant, rather than as a signal for aggregation. In targeted field bioassays, males of the US federally threatened subspecies Desmocerus californicus dimorphus responded to the synthetic attractant in a dose dependent manner. Our results represent the first example of a ‘‘generic’’ sex pheromone used by multiple species in the subfamily Lepturinae, and demonstrate that pheromone-baited traps may be a sensitive and efficient method of monitoring the threatened species Desmocerus californicus dimorphus, commonly known as the valley elderberry longhorn beetle

SchapkerPhilipIntegrativeBiologyR-Desmolactone.pdf

We report here that (4R,9Z)-hexadec-9-en-4-olide [(R)-desmolactone] is a sex attractant or sex pheromone for multiple species and subspecies in the cerambycid genus Desmocerus. This compound was previously identified as a female-produced sex attractant pheromone of Desmocerus californicus californicus. Headspace volatiles from female Desmocerus aureipennis aureipennis contained (R)-desmolactone, and the antennae of adult males of two species responded strongly to synthetic (R)-desmolactone in coupled gas chromatography-electroantennogram analyses. In field bioassays in California, Oregon, and British Columbia, traps baited with synthetic (R)-desmolactone captured males of several Desmocerus species and subspecies. Only male beetles were captured, indicating that this compound acts as a sex-specific attractant, rather than as a signal for aggregation. In targeted field bioassays, males of the US federally threatened subspecies Desmocerus californicus dimorphus responded to the synthetic attractant in a dose dependent manner. Our results represent the first example of a ‘‘generic’’ sex pheromone used by multiple species in the subfamily Lepturinae, and demonstrate that pheromone-baited traps may be a sensitive and efficient method of monitoring the threatened species Desmocerus californicus dimorphus, commonly known as the valley elderberry longhorn beetle

Photos of the species and subspecies of <i>Desmocerus</i> included in the present manuscript.

<p>A: <i>D. a. aureipennis;</i> B: <i>D. a cribripennis</i>; C: <i>D. a. lacustris</i>; D. <i>D. c. dimorphus</i> (VELB); E. <i>D. palliatus.</i> (Photo of <i>D. palliates</i> by Paul Bedell).</p

Location data, voucher numbers, <i>Desmocerus</i> species targeted, and host plant species for bioassays testing attraction to synthetic pheromones.

<p>Taxonomy of host plants follows <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115498#pone.0115498-Bolli1" target="_blank">[52]</a>. GPS coordinates indicate the position of the first trap of the first replicate. Voucher specimens of all species and subspecies were submitted to the Oregon State Arthropod Collection (OSAC, Corvallis, OR, USA). Additionally, vouchers of <i>D. aureipennis cribripennis</i> and <i>D. californicus dimorphus</i> were submitted to the Entomology Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside (UCR ENT).</p><p>Location data, voucher numbers, <i>Desmocerus</i> species targeted, and host plant species for bioassays testing attraction to synthetic pheromones.</p

Summary of treatments and results for bioassays testing attraction of three <i>Desmocerus</i> species to synthetic pheromones.

<p>Data for <i>D. a. cribripennis</i> (BC) were square root transformed because number of beetles captured varied considerably across dates. Untransformed mean ±SE are listed here. Means within species with the same letters are not different at <i>P</i>≤0.05 (REGWQ means-separation test, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115498#pone.0115498-SAS1" target="_blank">[44]</a>).</p>a<p>Asterisks indicate a significant value of <i>Q</i>: *<i>P</i><0.0005, **<i>P</i><0.0001; NS denotes that treatment means were not significantly different at <i>P</i>≤0.05.</p><p>Summary of treatments and results for bioassays testing attraction of three <i>Desmocerus</i> species to synthetic pheromones.</p

Captures of male VELB in traps baited with different doses of synthetic (<i>R</i>)-desmolactone (number of beetles captured in 10 mg treatment = 43, Friedman's <i>Q</i> = 27.31).

<p>Means with the same letters are not different at <i>P</i>≤0.0001 (REGWQ means-separation test <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115498#pone.0115498-SAS1" target="_blank">[44]</a>).</p

Representative coupled gas chromatography-electroantennogram analysis of repeated, alternate injections of synthetic (<i>R</i>)<i>-</i> and (<i>S</i>)- desmolactone using an antenna from a male <i>Desmocerus palliatus</i>.

<p>Upper trace is the chromatogram, lower inverted trace is the electroantennogram signal from the beetle antenna. DB-5 column, 40°C/1 min, then 10°C/min to 275°C, hold 40 min. Large peaks interspersed between the (<i>R</i>)<i>-</i> and (<i>S</i>)-desmolactone peaks on the GC trace are from the solvent used in the injections.</p