<論文・報告>The importance of olfactory cues in short-range mate finding by the Japanese jewel beetle, Chrysochroa fulgidissima (Coleoptera, Buprestidae)

Abstract

The Japanese jewel beetle, Chrysochroa fulgidissima (Buprestidae), is one of the most beautiful Japanese beetles with glossy iridescent colors on the elytra. Although the iridescent colors of jewel beetles have been thought to play a part in mate finding, the use of olfactory senses has also been suggested in the mate-finding behavior of buprestid Agrilus planipennis. In this study, the relative importance of olfactory versus visual clues in the mate-finding behavior of C. fulgidissima was clarified. A set of three treatments was conducted where beetles were deprived of their olfactory or visual senses by transparent or black polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets and black nylon mesh sheet. At short range, olfaction is considered to be more important than vision, because the number of males attracted to females in the olfaction treatment was significantly higher than in the others.

ヤマトタマムシ(Chrysochroa fulgidissima)は鞘翅に美しい金属光沢をもつ昆虫で, その色は短距離における配偶者探索に用いられることが知られていた. しかし, 近年タマムシ科の他種では視覚よりも嗅覚が重要であることが示された. そこで, 本研究では, 大型美麗種であるヤマトタマムシでも同様に嗅覚が配偶者探索において重要であるかを調査した. 嗅覚あるいは視覚が遮断される装置において, オスがどのような行動をするかを実験した. その結果, 臭いを通すが見ることのできない黒色の網で囲ったメスに対して有意にオスが接近したことから, 本種においても配偶者探索に嗅覚が重要であることが示された.