Pheromonal Control of the Burmese PythonPheromonal Control of the Burmese Python Tom Mathies...
Transcript of Pheromonal Control of the Burmese PythonPheromonal Control of the Burmese Python Tom Mathies...
Pheromonal Control of the Burmese Python
Tom Mathies
USDA/APHIS/Wildlife ServicesNational Wildlife Research Center
Overview
• Advantages and Disadvantages
• Potential Pheromone-based Approaches
• Example: Pheromone Trail -
Trap Technology Development with Go / No-Go Gates
• NWRC Capabilities: Development and Testing
Advantages -
DisadvantagesAdvantages Disadvantages
Species-specific - non-targets unlikely
Likely effective only during breeding season
Environmentally harmless chemicals
Likely effective only on adult males
No live animals or dead (animals or baits) used
Probably more labor-intensive to set up and maintain than food- baited trap
Trap design probably less difficult and costly to develop than food- baited trap; manufacture less costly
Overall technology more costly to develop than for food-based trap
Varied approaches - some possible on large (Park-wide) spatial scale
Potential Pheromone-based Approaches
• Trail -
Trap
• Mating Disruption: False Trail Following & Male Confusion
• Male Consolidation –
Search & Remove
Pheromone Trail to Trap
100 m
Pheromone Trail to Trap
Pheromone Trail to Trap
Male Consolidation -
Removal
♀Mating Disruption: False Trail
Following
Mating Disruption: Male Confusion♀
Example –
Trail to Trap Development
Example –
Trail to Trap Development
USDA/ NWRC Capabilities
• Brown Treesnake Pheromone Research
• NWRC Chemistry Program
• Python Research –
Potential of NWRC Gainesville Field Station
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200To
tal T
ongu
e-fli
ck T
ime
(s)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
TTReproductive Female
Nonreproductive FemaleMaleFPSFPNS
Brown Treesnake Sex Pheromone
1
2
3
4
5
Follic
le L
engt
h (c
m)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Week
9
9 99 9 8 2 1 1
3 4
7
7
98
87 6
0.25 0.14 0.02 0.02 0.0002
0.0001 0.02 0.006 0.0008
NWRC Chemistry Project
Project Leader
Supervisory Chemist QA/QC
SpecialistResearch Chemist
Research Chemist
Research Chemist Chemist Research
Molecular Biologist
Chemist Physical Science Tech
Physical Science Tech Physical
Science Tech Chemist
Pharmacologist
Chemist PhysicalScience Technician
ANALYTICALSERVICES
UNIT
QA/QCUNIT
FORMULATIONCHEMISTRY
UNIT
EXPLORATORYCHEMISTRY
UNIT
ANALYTICALMETHODS
DEVELOPMENTUNIT
METABOLISM/ENVIRONMENTAL
FATE UNIT
MOLEC.BIOLOGYWILDLIFEGENETICS
UNIT
Characterize PheromoneSynthesize Pheromone
NWRC Chemistry Project
10.0011.0012.0013.0014.0015.0016.0017.0018.0019.0020.0021.0022.0023.0024.00
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
400000
450000
500000
550000
600000
650000
700000
750000
800000
850000
900000
950000
1000000
1050000
1100000
1150000
1200000
1250000
1300000
Time-->
Abundance
TIC: VUL69-20.D
12.21
13.86
14.45 14.61 15.95
17.00
18.47 18.62
18.98
19.07
19.23
19.29
19.50 19.58
19.68
20.11 20.24
20.53
20.59
20.71
20.87
21.17 21.33
21.40 21.49
21.55
NWRC Gainesville Station
• Breeding colony, Everglades origin; 7 males, 3 females
• Animal care staff• Laboratory space• Large outdoor aviaries for conducting tests (e.g.,
pheromone trailing)