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Updated: May 4, 2026

Author Spotlight: Examining Volatile Sex Pheromone Influence on Male C. elegans Behavior
Published on: August 9, 2024
Sex pheromone components ofEuxoa drewseni Chemical identification, electrophysiological evaluation, and field
1Research Station, Agriculture Canada, T1J 4B1, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
Abstract:
Eleven compounds structurally similar to known lepidopterous pheromone components were identified in the extract from 18 calling female moths ofEuxoa drewseni (Staudinger). The identifications were done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-resolution gas chromatography with flame ionization and electroantennographic detectors simultaneously. Detector antennae were from five species of moths. In the field, male moths were specifically attracted to a three-component blend of dodecyl, (Z)-5-dodecenyl, and (Z)-7-tetradecenyl acetates in a ratio of 2∶6∶1. This blend at 1000 μg/rubber septum dispenser is recommended as a trap bait for monitoring purposes. Low concentrations of (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate or (Z)-7-tetradecenol inhibited the attraction of moths to the three-component blend. (Z)-7-Pentadecenyl acetate functioned as a parapheromone in place of (Z)-7-tetradecenyl acetate in the pheromone blend, and they appear to react via the same antennal receptor.

