title: Evidence for origin of insect sex pheromones: presence in food plants.
abstract: Compounds identified as sex attractant pheromones in a number of phytophagous insects were found in a variety of host plants. These agents vary in chemical composition in different plant species, which suggests that dietary factors may provide an evolutionary mechanism for diversification of certain insect species. A theoretical framework to explain this phenomenon is postulated on the basis of experiments with the oak leaf roller moth.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology; D007814:Larva / Q000032:analysis; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000032:analysis; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010675:Pheromones / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010944:Plants / Q000032:analysis*; D011679:Pupa / Q000032:analysis; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids