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Identification of a pheromone blend attractive to Manduca sexta (L.) males in a wind tunnel
Author(s) -
Tumlinson James H.,
Brennan Margaret M.,
Doolittle Robert E.,
Mitchell Everett R.,
Brabham Annette,
Mazomenos Basilios E.,
Baumhover Alfred H.,
Jackson D. Michael
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
archives of insect biochemistry and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.576
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1520-6327
pISSN - 0739-4462
DOI - 10.1002/arch.940100402
Subject(s) - manduca sexta , pheromone , sex pheromone , sphingidae , biology , lepidoptera genitalia , stereochemistry , manduca , botany , physics , insect , chemistry
Analyses of solvent rinses of the external surfaces of pheromone glands excised from calling female tobacco hornworm moths, Manduca sexta (L.), revealed the presence of the following compounds: ( Z )‐9‐hexadecenal, (Z)‐11‐hexadecenal, ( E )‐11‐hexadecenal, hexadecanal, ( E,Z )‐10,12‐hexadecadienal, ( E,E )‐10,12‐hexadecadienal, ( E,E,Z )‐10,12,14‐hexadecatrienal, ( E,E,E ,)‐10,12,14‐hexadecatrienal, ( Z )‐11‐octadecenal, ( Z )‐13‐octadecenal, octadecanal, and ( Z,Z )‐11,13‐octadecadienal. The two trienals were identified by mass and PMR spectral analyses and by ozonolyses, and their structures were confirmed by synthesis. In a wind tunnel male tobacco hornworm moths exhibit the same behaviors in response to a synthetic blend of all of the components, the gland rinse, or a calling female. Both ( E,Z )‐10,12‐hexadecadienal and ( E,E,Z )‐10,12,14‐hexadecatrienal are required to stimulate males to complete the characteristic behavioral sequence: anemotaxis, approaching and touching the pheromone source, and bending their abdomens in apparent copulatory attempts. The other components of the blend may play more subtle roles.