Female attractiveness modulated by a male-derived antiaphrodisiac pheromone in a plant bug

Males of the plant bug Lygus hesperus prefer to court virgins over recently mated females. Because a male delivers a large spermatophore mass to the female during copulation that contains more than just sperm, we investigated whether males transferred an odorant molecule rendering females less attractive. We found that topical application of homogenates of the spermatophore, or of the male accessory glands (AG) from which this mass is derived, made virgin females less acceptable as potential mates. Additionally, we found that the fatty molecule myristyl acetate is present in male accessory glands and in the seminal receptacles of recently mated females, but is absent in virgin females. The same distribution of myristyl acetate was also found in Lygus elisus and Lygus lineolaris. We hypothesized that myristyl acetate has a repellent effect on L. hesperus males seeking an appropriate mate. Using topically applied synthetic myristyl acetate at biological concentrations, we found that myristyl acetate was as effective as the AG homogenate at reducing the attractiveness of virgin females. Collectively these results indicate that males use myristyl acetate as a seminally transferred antiaphrodisiac for passive mate guarding, and usage of the compound may be widespread among Lygus bug species.

► Lygus hesperus males decrease female attractiveness with an antiaphrodisiac.
► The antiaphrodisiac is produced by male accessory glands and delivered during mating.
► The antiaphrodisiac, myristyl acetate, has a dose-dependent effect on male behaviour.
► Myristyl acetate is also produced by males, but not by females, of two other Lygus spp.