Analysis of Cuticular Hyrdocarbons of Gryllus rubens
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Pre-Veterinary Medicine
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Oliver Beckers
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
The mating process of Gyrllus rubens, known as the southeastern field cricket, is conducted in two main steps to determine if the female is attracted to the male and vice versa. The first step is the mating call which the females respond to by seeking out the calling male. The second step is conducted by the female where they use their antennae to smell the cuticular hydrocarbons secreted from the exoskeleton to determine if the partner is a suitable mate or not. The chemical makeup of the cuticular hydrocarbons can be made upwards of 100 compounds. If the female determines they are not attracted to what they smell, they choose not to mate. G. rubens is known to have two different generations within one year; a spring and a fall. The first step in the mating process, the call of the crickets, has been shown to be different between generations due to the different pitches at which the call is heard, but little testing has been done to determine if there are seasonal differences between the cuticular hydrocarbons involved in the second part of the mating process. This study will be used to determine the CHC profiles of male and female crickets between the fall and spring generations by using mass spectrometry.
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Honors College Senior Thesis
Analysis of Cuticular Hyrdocarbons of Gryllus rubens
The mating process of Gyrllus rubens, known as the southeastern field cricket, is conducted in two main steps to determine if the female is attracted to the male and vice versa. The first step is the mating call which the females respond to by seeking out the calling male. The second step is conducted by the female where they use their antennae to smell the cuticular hydrocarbons secreted from the exoskeleton to determine if the partner is a suitable mate or not. The chemical makeup of the cuticular hydrocarbons can be made upwards of 100 compounds. If the female determines they are not attracted to what they smell, they choose not to mate. G. rubens is known to have two different generations within one year; a spring and a fall. The first step in the mating process, the call of the crickets, has been shown to be different between generations due to the different pitches at which the call is heard, but little testing has been done to determine if there are seasonal differences between the cuticular hydrocarbons involved in the second part of the mating process. This study will be used to determine the CHC profiles of male and female crickets between the fall and spring generations by using mass spectrometry.