title: Hydrocarbons in the surface wax of eggs and adults of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata.
abstract: The major components of the egg hydrocarbons were dimethylalkanes (40%) and trimethylalkanes (24%) in which the first methyl branch was on carbon 2. The major dimethylalkanes were an approximately 2:1 mixture of 2,10- and 2,6-dimethyloctacosanes in females and eggs. The major trimethylalkanes were a mixture of 2,10,16- and 2,10,18-trimethyloctacosanes. 2,x- and 2,x,y-methyl-branched alkanes with an odd-numbered carbon backbone were proposed to have an even number of carbon atoms between the first and second methyl branch points indicating that their biosynthesis started with a primer derived from leucine. 13,17,21,25-Tetramethylheptatriacontane was the only tetramethylalkane identified. Females and eggs had more hydrocarbons with a 2-methyl branch point than did the males. The eggs had the lowest amount of internally-branched dimethylalkanes but the largest amount of 2,x-dimethylalkanes in their surface hydrocarbons. Only trace amounts of n-alkanes and alkenes were detected in the surface hydrocarbons of adult males and females, larvae and eggs, of the Colorado potato beetle.
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Research Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, State University Station, 1605 Albrecht Boulevard, Fargo, ND 58105, USA. dennis.nelson@ndsu.nodak.edu
authors.forename: Dennis R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Terrance S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Charlotte L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fatland
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014885:Waxes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D008055:Lipids; D014885:Waxes