title: Identification of the sex pheromone of a protected species, the Spanish moon moth Graellsia isabellae.
abstract: Sex attractant pheromones are highly sensitive and selective tools for detecting and monitoring populations of insects, yet there has been only one reported case of pheromones being used to monitor protected species. Here, we report the identification and synthesis of the sex pheromone of a protected European moth species, Graellsia isabellae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), as the single component, (4E,6E,11Z)-hexadecatrienal. In preliminary field trials, lures loaded with this compound attracted male moths from populations of this species at a number of widely separated field sites in France, Switzerland, and Spain, clearly demonstrating the utility of pheromones in sampling potentially endangered insect species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA. Jocelyn.millar@ucr.edu
authors.forename: Jocelyn G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: J Steven
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: McElfresh
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marí-Mena
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lopez-Vaamonde
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction
chemical_list: D012724:Sex Attractants