(Z)-9-tricosene identified in rectal gland extracts of Bactrocera oleae males: first evidence of a male-produced female attractant in olive fruit fly

Naturwissenschaften. 2012 Jan;99(1):77-81. doi: 10.1007/s00114-011-0868-y. Epub 2011 Dec 8.

Abstract

It is well-known that Bactrocera oleae (olive fruit fly) females attract conspecific males by using 1,7-dioxaspiro[5,5]undecane (1) as the main component of their sex pheromone, and that 1 is produced in the female rectal gland. Although some authors have claimed that B. oleae males also attract females, to date no male-produced female attractants have been found in this species. In this paper, we report the first identification of a substance unique to males and able to attract females. The findings of the study include the following: (1) females responded in a bioassay to hexane extracts obtained from rectal glands of 15-day-old B. oleae males, (2) the presence of (Z)-9-tricosene (2) was consistently and unambiguously identified in these extracts using gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry methods, (3) in preliminary bioactivity tests, low doses (equivalent to a few males) of chemically and stereoisomerically pure synthetic (Z)-9-tricosene (2) attracted olive fruit fly females. Interestingly, compound 2, commonly called muscalure, is also a well-known component of the house fly (Musca domestica) sex pheromone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkenes / chemistry*
  • Alkenes / isolation & purification
  • Alkenes / metabolism
  • Alkenes / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Male
  • Sex Attractants / chemistry*
  • Sex Attractants / isolation & purification
  • Sex Attractants / metabolism
  • Sex Attractants / pharmacology
  • Tephritidae / chemistry
  • Tephritidae / drug effects
  • Tephritidae / metabolism
  • Tephritidae / physiology*

Substances

  • Alkenes
  • Sex Attractants
  • muscalure