Corema
The corema is a tube-like protuberance on the abdomen , usually densely haired , which the males of some butterfly species have and which contains fragrances ( pheromones ). As a rule, the butterflies have several coremata that are arranged in parallel. In the resting state, these olfactory organs are completely hidden in the abdomen. If necessary, they are activated by means of air pressure. Since the fragrances are perceived by both females and males, several specimens of both sexes sometimes appear in suitable courtship areas during the mating season . With the pheromones then released, the females are given an individual choice of mate. The poisonous pyrrolizidine alkaloids contained in some food plants of the caterpillars , which actually serve to ward off predators, usually also control the size development of the coremata and the amount of pheromones produced. In some males, the length of the olfactory organs exceeds the wingspan , but in other species they can also be very small. A corema can contain up to 0.5 milligrams of the pheromone Hydroxydanaidal .
Typical examples of butterflies that have coremata organs are Creatonotos ( bear moth ), for example Creatonotos gangis , and Teleiopsis species, but also butterflies , for example Eumaeus atala .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Creatonotos gangis on animalworld.tumblr.com
- ↑ Michael Boppré: PAs as morphogens
- ↑ H. Wunderer, K. Hansen, TW Bell, D. Schneider, J. Meinwald: Sex pheromones of two Asian moths (Creatonotos transiens, C. gangis; Lepidoptera – Arctiidae): behavior, morphology, chemistry and electrophysiology. In: Experimental biology. Volume 46, Number 1, 1986, ISSN 0176-8638 , pp. 11-27, PMID 3817109 .
- ^ Josef J. de Freina: Creatonotos omanirana sp. n. from Oman and Iran (Artiidae: Arctiinae)
- ↑ Albrecht Egelhaaf, Susanne Rick-Wagner, Dietrich Schneider: Development of the male scent organ of Creatonotos transiens (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) during metamorphosis