Composição química da glândula abdominal da fêmea da mariposa Castnia licus (Drury) (Lepidoptera:Castniidae): possíveis feromônios e precursores Chemical composition from female pheromone gland of Castnia licus (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Castniidae)

<abstract language="eng">The hexane and methanolic extracts from pheromonal glands of Castnia licus (Drury) virgin females have been studied. Analyses by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry allowed us to determine the major constituents present in the hexane extract as n-alkanes C21 to C30, (Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid (C16), and (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid (C18) and hexadecanoic acid (C16). Aldehyds, alkenes and acetates were also detected in low concentrations in the extracts. Female pheromone glands were analysed for pheromone precursors using the methanolic extract. In addition to the compounds methyl hexadecanoate and methyl (Z)-9-octadecenoate, the glandular tissue contains a homologous series of methyl esters from C12 to C24. The hexane extract of the female abdomenal glands elicited activity from males in a behavioural bioassay

Resposta de Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) aos voláteis da planta hospedeira e de adultos coespecíficos em olfatômetro Response of Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) to host volatiles and conspecific in olfactometer

<abstract language="eng">The response of Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar, 1824) to the volatiles of its host banana plant (Musa paradisiaca cv. Prata) and conspecific adults was studied. In olfactometer, the attraction of males and females of C. sordidus to rhizome and pseudotem of the banana, fresh or rotting, was observed. The results suggested that the aggregation pheromone is produced by males and that it attracts both sexes, and that there is another pheromone produced by females which attracts males only. The results also suggest that the females are the first responsible for the aggregation of the species, but the male pheromone is mainly responsible for the mass aggregation. Nevertheless, the aggregation phenomenon is a consequence of the mutual action of both pheromones plus the kairomones produced by the banana plant