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Ophraella communa is a biological control agent of invasive common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia. To understand the mate choice tactic of the beetle and improve mass-rearing of high-quality populations, the effects of morphological traits, age and copulation experience on mate choice in this beetle were studied in the laboratory. The results showed thatmate choice of male or female was related to certain adult morphological traits. Wing length, black streak width of frons and metaleg femur length of males were central to female mate choice. Females with longer wing length, black streak width of frons, pronotum width and foreleg tibia length were more attractive to males than those with the smaller ones. The chosen rate of older males was significantly higher than those of younger ones, and the chosen rate of females reached a maximum value on the 8th day after eclosion. The newly copulated females were less attractive to males than virgins, but females that have copulated in the distant past were more attractive than or were similar to virgins. The chosen rates of virgin males were significantly higher than those of newly copulated and 8 days past copulated ones, but no difference between virgin males and 3, 5 or 12 days past copulated ones in O. communa. The results of our study have added much needed empirical data regarding the significance of morphological traits, age and copulation experience as a source of variation in insect copulation signals. In addition, the results provide valuable information for mass-rearing of high-quality populations of O. communa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Simple Summary: Leaf beetle Ophraella communa is considered an effective biocontrol agent against the common ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia. However, there are no studies that assess the antennal sensilla and chemosensory proteins expression profiles of O. communa. In this study, the types and morphology of sensilla on the antennae were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that there are six types of sensilla (sensilla trichodea, sensilla chaetica, sensilla basiconica, sensilla styloconica, sensilla coeloconica, and Böhm bristles) distributed on the antennae. We also found that the expression levels of five chemosensory proteins in male and female antennae were higher than those in other tissues by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our results lay the foundation for interpreting the olfactory functions of adult O. communa. Ophraella communa is an efficient biocontrol agent used against the invasive weed Ambrosia artemisiifolia. It is an herbivorous insect that feeds on specific plants; the olfactory functions of this insects plays an important role in their search for host plants. There are no reports on O. communa sensilla types, morphology, or chemosensory protein (CSP) genes. In this study, we observed the external structure and distribution of antennal sensilla in adult O. communa antennae by scanning electron microscopy; moreover, we cloned 11 CSPs (CSP1–CSP11) and elucidated their tissue-expression profiles using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Six types of sensilla were identified: sensilla trichodea (including two subtypes), sensilla chaetica, sensilla basiconica (including two subtypes), sensilla styloconica, sensilla coeloconica, and Böhm bristles. Both male and female antennae had all six types of sensilla, and no sexual dimorphism was noted in sensillar types or distribution. We also found that the expression levels of CSP2, CSP3, CSP4, CSP6, and CSP7 in male and female antennae were higher than those in other tissues, which suggests that these five CSPs may be related to olfactory function in O. communa. Ultimately, our results lay the foundation for interpreting the olfactory functions of adult O. communa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]