Electroantennogram(EAG)Response to Synthetic Periplanones in Periplaneta and Blatta Cockroaches

Abstract

Interspecific variation of electroantennogram (EAG) activity was compared among six species in the genera Periplaneta and Blatta (P. americana, P. australasiae, P. japonica, P. fuliginosa and B. orientalis). Three synthetic periplanones were used as chemical stimulants. The results of this experiment showed that male antennae of P. americana as well as the other five species responded to all of the stimulants; female antennae, however, showed little response. This indicated that the stimulants reacted with the sex pheromone receptors of each of the species. Furthermore, together with behavioral information of these animals reported by others, structural similarity of the sex pheromones of P. americana and five other species was suggested.