title: Identification of the sex pheromone secreted by a nettle moth, Monema flavescens, using gas chromatography/fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
abstract: The nettle moth Monema flavescens (Limacodidae) is a defoliator of fruit trees, such as Chinese plum and persimmon. The larvae of this species have spines containing a poison that causes serious irritation and inflammation in humans. Coupled gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of a crude pheromone extract, combined with derivatization, indicated that female moths produced 8-decen-1-ol and 7,9-decadien-1-ol at a ratio of approximately 9:1. The E configuration of the double bonds was assigned for both components from infrared spectra, recorded on a gas chromatograph/Fourier transform-infrared spectrophotometer equipped with a zinc selenide disk cooled to -30 °C. The monoenyl and dienyl alcohols had absorptions characteristic of E geometry at 966 and 951 cm(-1), respectively. A band chromatogram at 951 cm(-1) was useful for distinguishing geometric isomers, because terminal conjugated diene are difficult to resolve, even on high polarity columns. Furthermore, we identified the Z configuration of the same 7,9-dienyl alcohol secreted by another nettle moth, Parasa lepida lepida, through the absence of this absorption. In field trials, lures baited with a 9:1 mixture of (E)-8-decen-1-ol and (E)-7,9-decadien-1-ol attracted M. flavescens males. Furthermore, the field trials indicated that contamination with the (Z)-diene reduced catches to the pheromone mixture more than did contamination with the (Z)-monoene.
authors: Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan.
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Shibasaki
authors: Masanobu
authors: M
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Qi
authors: Q
authors: Yan
authors: Hideshi
authors: H
authors: Naka
authors: Toshiro
authors: T
authors: Suzuki
authors: Tetsu
authors: T
authors: Ando
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D018036:Selenium Compounds; D012724:Sex Attractants; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C044696:zinc selenide
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