著者

井濃内 順 渋谷 達明 畑中 恒夫

出版者

筑波大学菅平高原実験センター

雑誌

菅平高原実験センター研究報告 (ISSN:09136800)

巻号頁・発行日

no.8, pp.167-179, 1987-03-25

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Odor responses of the single olfactory cells on the antennae in the dung beetle (Geotrupes auratus) were studied. The receptor cells well responded respectively to a part or all of the five characteristic odors (2-butanone, phoenol, p-cresol, indole, skatole) from cattle's dung. The olfactory cells could be divided into the following two types of responses. (1)R-Type I: Only 2-butanone was effective for all cells of this type. The impulse frequency increased with increase of stimulus concentration. The slope of the dose-resoonse curve was relatively steep. Threshold concentration of the individual olfactory cells varied in the value. Impulse discharges of some of the cells to 2-butanone disappeared of decreased by stimulus of the mixture with other four odors. (2s) R-Type II: All cells in this type responded to 2-butanone but the responses to the other four odors were different with cells. The dose-response curve to 2-butanone of this type of cells resembled with that of R-Type I. Threshold values of the cells to the odors were differed from each other. 2-butanone in the dung may be volatilized faster than the other four odors, it is thus suggested that the dung beetles may be oriented to 2-butanone odor contained in their food.動物の生得的行動を開発する「鍵刺激」として、視覚的に単純な形や色、聴覚的な一定周波数の音、また、物理的な接触刺激などの存在が知らされている。一方、化学的、特に嗅覚的な匂いも鍵刺激として重要であり、鱗翅目昆虫の性フェロモンは、配偶行動を開発する、種に固有な匂いであることは良く知られている。・・・