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Cuticular hydrocarbons of gregarious and solitary locustsLocusta migratoria cinerascens

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Abstract

The cuticular hydrocarbons ofLocusta migratoria cinerascens—larvae and adults, males and females, gregarious and solitaries—have been investigated by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The hydrocarbons comprise 52–78% of the cuticular lipids and are divided inton-alkanes (28.7–47.3%), 3-, 4-, and 5-methylalkanes (11.3–15.8%), internally branched monomethylalkanes (13.7–19.9%), and internally branched dimethylalkanes (19.8–35.9%) with seven or nine methylenes between the two branch points. While the sexual dimorphism does not seem to be reflected in the cuticular hydrocarbon composition, clear quantitative variations favoring the longest chain alkanes have been observed between gregarious and solitary locusts, thus revealing a new phase character in these insects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Chimie Structurale Organique, Bâtiment 410-415 Université Paris-Sud, France

    E. Genin, R. Jullien & F. Perez

  2. Laboratoire de Biologie de l'Insecte, Bâtiment 440-445 Université Paris-Sud, 91405, Orsay, France

    S. Fuzeau-Braesch

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  1. E. Genin
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  2. R. Jullien
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  3. F. Perez
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  4. S. Fuzeau-Braesch
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Genin, E., Jullien, R., Perez, F. et al. Cuticular hydrocarbons of gregarious and solitary locustsLocusta migratoria cinerascens . J Chem Ecol 12, 1213–1238 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01012343

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01012343

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