Abstract
The sex pheromone of the calendula plume moth, Platyptilia williamsii was identified as (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16:Aid). Extracts of female sex pheromone glands contained several compounds when analyzed by capillary and packed-column GLC. However, airborne collections of volatiles from glands contained only one of these compounds, having the same retention time as Z11-16:Ald. GC-MS and microozonolysis analyses of the natural product were consistent with those of synthetic Z11-16:Ald. In a flight tunnel, males oriented upwind and touched sources of Z11-16:Ald and gland extract with equal frequency. Field tests of synthetic Z11-16:Ald already have shown it to be a potent sex attractant for males of this species. This study further supports the hypothesis that P. williamsii and a sympatric species, Platyptilia carduidactyla, are not reproductively isolated by chemical differences in the composition of the sex pheromone, but rather by temporal differences in sexual activities.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 907-916 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of Chemical Ecology |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 1987 |
Keywords
- (Z)-11-hexadecenal
- Lepidoptera
- Platyptilia williamsii
- Pterophoridae
- calendula plume moth
- insect behavior
- insect pheromones
- reproductive isolation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Biochemistry