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Sex attractants for Geometrid and Noctuid moths

Field trapping and electroantennographic responses to triene hydrocarbons and monoepoxydiene derivatives

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Abstract

Male moths belonging to 17 species of Geometridae and nine species of Noctuidae were captured in traps baited with synthetic chemicals as part of a field screening program. The compounds tested were the C18-C22 homologs of: (1) (3Z,6Z,9Z)-triene hydrocarbons; (2) mixtures containing equal quantities of (3Z,6Z)-cis-9,10-expoxydienes, (3Z,92Z)-cis-6,7-epoxydienes, and (6Z,9Z)-cis-3,4-epoxydienes; (3) (3Z,6Z)-9S,10R-epoxydienes; (4) (3Z,6Z)-9R,10S-epoxydienes; and (5) (3Z,6Z,9Z,11E)-nonadecatetraene. Field captures and electroantennographic assays revealed a high degree of specificity in the responses of many species to the synthetic chemicals. In several species the ability of males to discriminate between the 9S,10R and 9R,10S enantiomers of the monoepoxydiene isomers was clearly shown. Synergists and inhibitors were discovered for several of the reported attractants, some of which were not previously known to have semiochemical activity. The geometrid moths captured includedEpirrhoe sperryi (Herbulot),Mesoleuca ruficillata (Guenée),Triphosa haesitata (Guenée),Metanema inatomaria (Guenée),Prochoerodes transversata (Drury),Cabera erythemaria (Guenée),Synaxis jubararia (Hulst),Dysstroma brunneata ethela (Hulst),Eulithes testata (Linnaeus),Sicya macularia (Harris),Xanthorhoe iduata (Guenée),X. abrasaria aquilonaria (Herrich-Schäffer),X. munitata (Hübner),Itame loricaria (Eversmann),Eupithecia annulata (Hulst),E. rovocastaliata (Packard) andE. satyrata dodata (Taylor). The noctuid moths captured includedBleptina caradrinalis (Guenée),Idia américalis (Guenée),I. aemula (Hübner),Rivula propinqualis (Guenée),Lomanaltes eductalis (Walker),Spargaloma sexpunctata (Grote),Caenurgina distincta (Neumuller),Euclidia cuspidea (Hübner), andZale duplicata (Bethune). Six of the nine noctuid species captured belong to three subfamilies for which sex attractants had not been reported previously. Details for the stereospecific synthesis of (3Z,6Z)-cis-9,10-epoxydienes are also reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Council of Canada, Plant Biotechnology Institute, S7N 0W9, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    John W. Wong, E. W. Underhill, S. L. MacKenzie & M. D. Chisholm

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  1. John W. Wong
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  2. E. W. Underhill
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  3. S. L. MacKenzie
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  4. M. D. Chisholm
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Issued as NRCC No. 24314.

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Wong, J.W., Underhill, E.W., MacKenzie, S.L. et al. Sex attractants for Geometrid and Noctuid moths. J Chem Ecol 11, 727–756 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988302

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988302

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