Kairomone

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A kairomone (a

predator, the latter of which is less common or at least less studied.[4]

Predators use them to find prey

An example of this can be found in the

synergistically with aggregation pheromones which in turn act to lure more beetles to the tree. [citation needed
]

Specialist predatory beetles find bark beetles (their prey) using the pheromones the bark beetles produce. In this case the chemical substance produced is both a pheromone (communication between bark beetles) and a kairomone (eavesdropping). This was discovered accidentally when the predatory beetles and other enemies were attracted to insect traps baited with bark beetle pheromones.[5]

Pheromones of different kinds may be exploited as kairomones by receivers. The German wasp,

Iridomyrmex purpureus) that a spider predator is attracted to.[4]

Prey use them to adjust to predators

Wolves produce kairomones when scent-marking their territories[6]

Some prey make use of chemicals originating from predators, using these cues as an indicator of the level of predation risk and changing their

predator-induced polyphenism, and occurs across a variety of animals. For example, Daphnia cucullata show formation of "helmets" when exposed to predators or the water they have lived in. Their predators include cladocerans (such as Leptodora kindtii) and larvae of Chaoborus flavicans, a midge. They respond to these kairomones by doubling the size of their helmets, a protective structure. These changes in morphology make them safer from predators.[7]

Rattus norvegicus allergen 1), the product of the rat Mup13 gene.[9][10][11] Mice are fearful of these major urinary proteins (Mups) even when they are made in bacteria, but mutant animals that are unable to detect the Mups show no fear of rats, demonstrating their importance in initiating fearful behaviour.[9][12] It is not known exactly how Mups from different species initiate disparate behaviours, but mouse Mups and predator Mups have been shown to activate unique patterns of sensory neurons in the nose of recipient mice. This implies the mouse perceives them differently, via distinct neural circuits.[9][10] The pheromone receptors responsible for Mup detection are also unknown, though they are thought be members of the V2R receptor class.[10][13]

Mate Attraction

Kairomones are also used by some animals to identify the location of viable mates. For example, by feeding on vascular plants, female Melolontha melolontha stimulate the release of green leaf volatiles (GLVs). These kairomones mix with the females' own pheromones, enhancing their ability to attract males of the species.[14][15]

Applications

Like pheromones (communication chemicals used within a species), kairomones can be utilized as an 'attracticide' to lure a pest species to a location containing pesticide. However, they might also be used to lure desired species. Kairomones produced by the hosts of parasitic wasps have been used in an attempt to attract them and keep them around in crops where they reduce herbivory, but this could instead result in fewer attacks on the herbivorous pest if the applied kairomone distracts them from finding real hosts.[4] For example, studies have shown that kairomones are effective in attracting female African sugarcane borers to deposit eggs on dead leaf material.[16]

Recent discoveries have highlighted that predators are attracted to the odour of co-existing predators.[17]

Kairomones have been extensively studied, and some are in successful usage, in Florida's Anastrepha suspensa eradication zone in support of the citrus, and various other orchard industries there.[18]

See also

References

  1. JSTOR 1294753
    .
  2. ^ "kairomone, n.". OED Online. September 2012. Oxford University Press. http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/241005?redirectedFrom=kairomone (accessed 3 October 2012).
  3. doi:10.1021/ed060p531
    .
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-470-01617-6
    .
  5. ISBN 978-0-521-48526-5
    .
  6. PMC 3634846
    .
  7. ISBN 978-0-470-01617-6
    .
  8. ^ Ehrenberg, Rachel (5 June 2010). "Fight or flee, it's in the pee". Science News. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  9. ^
    PMID 20478258.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  10. ^
    PMID 20478249
    .
  11. ^ "Why mice fear the smell of cats". BBC News. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  12. ^ Bhanoo, Sindya (17 May 2010). "When a Mouse Smells a Rat". The New York Times.
  13. S2CID 4398766
    .
  14. ISSN 0028-1042
    .
  15. ISSN 0013-8703
    .
  16. ^ Leslie, G.W. (June 1990). "THE INFLUENCE OF DEAD LEAF MATERIAL ON THE OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOUR OF ELDANA SACCHARINA (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE) IN SUGARCANE" (PDF). The South African Sugar Technologists' Association.
  17. S2CID 16413357
    .
  18. ISBN 1-86849-298-2
    .
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