Aggregation pheromone activity of the female sex pheromone, beta-acaridial, in Caloglyphus polyphyllae (Acari: Acaridae).

Caloglyphus (= Sancasania) polyphyllae discharges from a pair of opisthonotal glands a characteristic set of volatiles, i.e. three monoterpenes and seven hydrocarbons. Among them, beta-acaridial, which is known as the female sex pheromone of the species and has antifungal activity, was newly identified as the aggregation pheromone for unfeeding and unmating mites. Feeding mites, however, exhibited sexually aroused behavior instead of the tendency to cluster when exposed to beta-acaridial. This is the first example of the compound demonstrating two pheromone functions depending upon the circumstances faced by the mites.