210 P. R. Shashank et al.
punctiferalis larvae were typically polyphagous,
their development delayed on C. pinicolalis host,
while C. pinicolalis lay eggs and feed exclusively
on conifer needles including Pinus parviflora
or Abies homolepis. Such host plant preference
may also cause reproductive isolation between
both species. In electroantennogram (EAG) (C.
punctiferalis females responded of host plants to
17 more compounds more than males, whereas
there was no sexual difference in C. pinicolalis.
A cluster analysis of the EAG responses of each
species showed a definite difference in the anten-
nal olfactory spectra between C. punctiferalis and
C. pinicolalis. Although the male moths of both
species were cross-attracted to calling females
and their pheromone gland extracts, a strong ho-
mogamic mating preference in laboratory test
and postmating reproductive isolation between
both species was also confirmed by laboratory
cross tests. Female sex pheromone system of C.
punctiferalis and C. pinicolalis are quite simi-
lar, which allows cross-attraction by males, and
consisted of E-10-hexadecenaal (E10-16:Ald)
and Z-10- hexadecenal (Z10-16:Ald) at a ratio of
95.4:4.5. The final conspecific sexual recognition
in each species is accomplished with a male pher-
omone. E-2-methyl-2-butenoic acid was identi-
fied from hairpencil organs of C. punctiferalis
but no pheromonal volatiles from C. pinicolalis
hairpencils were identified. Recently, two hydro-
carbons were found as pheromonal synergists in
female pheromone system of C. punctiferalis,
which functioned in a short distance from phero-
mone source, calling females. A similar system
also was prospected in C. pinicolalis, but these
new hydrocarbon synergists may have no contri-
bution to reproductive isolation between C. punc-
tiferalis and C. pinicolalis (Honda 2013 ).Bioecology
Krishnamurthy et al. ( 1989 ) reported that Cono-
gethes completed one life cycle on cardamom
in 25–40 days with five generations a year at
Mudigere, Chikmangalur, Karnataka at 26 °C and
70 % relative humidity (RH). Eggs of C. punc-
tiferalis are round and light yellow in color, andTable 1 Conogethes species with records on BOLD. (Source: http://www.boldsystems.org/views/speciessummary.
php)
No. Species Specimens Sequences Bar codes (COI of > 500 bp)
1 Conogethes diminutiva 2 2 1
2 Conogethes ersealis 3 3 3
3 Conogethes evaxalis 9 8 8
4 Conogethes haemactalis 3 3 3
5 Conogethes nr. diminutiva 1 1 1
6 Conogethes nr. haemactalis 3 3 3
7 Conogethes parvipunctalis 1 1 1
8 Conogethes pluto 12 12 12
9 Conogethes punctiferalis 67 26 26
10 Conogethes punctiferalis PS2 1 0 0
11 Conogethes semifascialis 11 8 8
12 Conogethes sp. 1 0 0
13 Conogethes sp. ANIC 1 2 1 1
14 Conogethes sp. ANIC 2 3 3 3
15 Conogethes sp. ANIC 3 1 0 0
16 Conogethes sp. complex 4 3 3
17 Conogethes tharsalea 5 4 4