Evolution of Acquired Perfumes and Endogenous Lipid Secretions in Orchid Bees.

ABSTRACT: Male orchid bees are unique in the animal kingdom for making perfumes that function as sex pheromone. Males collect volatile chemicals from the environment in the neotropical forests, including floral and non-floral sources, creating complex but species-specific blends. Male orchid bees exhibit several adaptations to facilitate perfume collection and storage. When collecting volatile compounds, males apply lipid substances that they secrete from cephalic labial glands onto the fragrant substrate. These lipids help dissolve and retain the volatiles, similar to the process of 'enfleurage' in the traditional perfume industry. We investigated how the chemical composition of acquired perfume and labial gland secretions varied across the phylogeny of orchid bees, including 65 species in five gen

SUBMITTER: Eltz T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11493807 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature