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Chem. Senses 28: 279-284, 2003
© Oxford University Press 2003

Extreme Sensitivity in an Olfactory System

Anna Maria Angioy, Alessandro Desogus, Iole Tomassini Barbarossa, Peter Anderson1 and Bill S. Hansson1

Department of Experimental Biology, Section of General Physiology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato–Cagliari, Italy 1 Department of Crop Science, Division of Chemical Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden

Correspondence to be sent to: Anna Maria Angioy, Department of Experimental Biology, Section of General Physiology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato–Cagliari, Italy. e-mail: amheart{at}unica.it

We recorded olfactory-induced cardiac responses to evaluate olfactory response thresholds to behaviourally relevant odours in a moth. Specific antennal receptor neurons enable insects to detect biologically meaningful odours such as sex pheromones and host-plant volatiles. The response threshold values demonstrated here are well below anything earlier reported in any organism. A heart response was triggered by less than six molecules of the most efficient odours hitting the antennae of the insect. The behavioural significance of this extreme sensitivity most likely lies in the creation of awareness and readiness to respond behaviourally at higher concentration levels.

Key words: moth, sex pheromone, plant odours, cardiac response


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