Zebra skin odor repels the savannah tsetse fly, Glossina pallidipes (Diptera: Glossinidae)

Author summary The use of repellents from non-preferred hosts represents an innovative approach to control animal African trypanosomosis by limiting contact between tsetse flies and livestock. Although zebras are non-preferred hosts, the possible chemical basis of their avoidance by tsetse flies is unknown. We hypothesized that certain chemical components of zebra skin odor play a role in their avoidance. We tested this hypothesis by screening crude zebra skin odor for repellency, identifying the chemicals detected by tsetse flies (G. pallidipes) in the skin odor matrix of zebra, and establishing the specific chemicals eliciting repellency in field trials. We identified a three-component blend as contributing to the repellency of the crude zebra skin odor. Repellency of the crude zebra skin odor and the three-component repellent blend was comparable to the known tsetse repellent, WRC (waterbuck repellent compounds), derived from waterbuck skin odor. Our study shows that odors play a role in the avoidance behavior of tsetse flies to zebras. The three-component repellent blend identified in zebra skin odor provides a new effective tool in the management of tsetse flies and trypanosomosis.