pheromonal control of the burmese python - … control of the burmese python tom mathies...
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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
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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)