Olfaction in the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni. II: Response spectra and temporal encoding characteristics of the carbon dioxide receptors.

C D Hull, B W Cribb

Index: J. Chem. Ecol. 27(5) , 889-906, (2001)

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Abstract

Single-unit electrophysiology was used to record the nerve impulses from the carbon dioxide receptors of female Queensland fruit flies, Bactroera tryoni. The receptors responded to stimulation in a phasic-tonic manner and also had a period of inhibition of the nerve impulses after the end of stimulation. at high stimulus intensities. The cell responding to carbon dioxide was presented with a range of environmental odorants and found to respond to methyl butyrate and 2-butanone. The coding characteristics of the carbon dioxide cell and the ability to detect other odorants are discussed, with particular reference to the known behavior of the fly.