Insects 2014, 5, 577-595; doi:10.3390/insects5030577 OPEN ACCESS insects ISSN 2075-4450 www.mdpi.com/journal/insects/ Review Semiochemical and Vibrational Cues and Signals Mediating Mate Finding and Courtship in Psylloidea (Hemiptera): A Synthesis Umar K. Lubanga 1,*, Christelle Guédot 2, Diana M. Percy 3 and Martin J. Steinbauer 1 1 Department of Zoology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia; E-Mail:
[email protected] 2 Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA; E-Mail:
[email protected] 3 Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK; E-Mail:
[email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail:
[email protected]; Tel.: +61-4055-2667. Received: 12 May 2014; in revised form: 7 July 2014 / Accepted: 10 July 2014 / Published: 21 July 2014 Abstract: Mate finding and courtship involve complex interactions that require close coordination between individuals of the opposite gender. Well-organized signalling systems, sometimes involving a combination of signal modalities, are required to convey species-specific and individual information to members of the opposite gender. Previous studies of psyllids have focused on single-signal modalities and have largely ignored the potentially interdependent nature of different types of signals. Several studies have shown that semiochemicals play a role in psyllid mate finding. However, long-range semiochemical sex attractants, such as the highly volatile sex pheromones used by many Lepidoptera (molecular weights <300), are yet to be identified. The compounds identified thus far, namely 13-methylheptacosane (from Cacopsylla pyricola) and dodecanoic acid (from Diaphorina citri), seem to have short range activity or no activity under field conditions.