Stebbing P D, Bentley M G, Watson G J
School of Marine Science and Technology, Ridley Building, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
J Chem Ecol. 2003 Feb;29(2):465-75. doi: 10.1023/a:1022646414938.
The mating behaviour of the signal crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana), has been categorised into seven distinct stages: orientation; contact; seizure; turning; mounting; spermatophore deposition; and dismounting. These categories were used in the development of a bioassay to test whether mature females release a sex pheromone during the breeding season to which males respond. Water conditioned by 1) mature females (MF water), 2) immature females (IF water) and 3) freshwater (C water), were injected through standard aquarium air-stones into tanks containing mature males. The behaviour of the male was recorded on video for 15 minutes before and after injection of each test water. The time that the males spent exhibiting the three behavioural categories of 'quiescent,' 'motile' and 'handling' of the air-stone, were recorded. 'Handling' of the air-stone included the mating behaviours of seizure, mounting, and spermatophore deposition onto the surface of the air-stone. Males exposed to MF water exhibited significantly increased levels of motile activity and handling behaviour, than males exposed to C water or IF water. These results demonstrate for the first time the presence of a sex pheromone, released during the breeding season by mature females, that stimulates courtship and mating behaviour in male P. leniusculus.
信号小龙虾（学名：Pacifastacus leniusculus，由达纳命名）的交配行为可分为七个不同阶段：定位、接触、抓捕、转身、爬上、精荚沉积和爬下。这些分类用于生物测定法的开发，以测试成熟雌性在繁殖季节是否释放雄性会做出反应的性信息素。通过标准水族箱气石，将由1）成熟雌性处理过的水（MF水）、2）未成熟雌性处理过的水（IF水）和3）淡水（C水）注入装有成熟雄性的水箱中。在注入每种测试水之前和之后，对雄性的行为进行15分钟的视频记录。记录雄性在表现“静止”“活动”和“触碰”气石这三种行为类别上所花费的时间。对气石的“触碰”包括抓捕、爬上以及在气石表面沉积精荚的交配行为。与接触C水或IF水的雄性相比，接触MF水的雄性表现出显著更高水平的活动和触碰行为。这些结果首次证明，成熟雌性在繁殖季节释放的性信息素会刺激雄性信号小龙虾的求偶和交配行为。
