Nitidulid beetles

Nardi J. B., Dowd P. F. and Bartelt R. J. (1996) Fine structure of cells specialized for secretion of aggregation pheromone in a nitidulid beetle Carpophilus freemani (Coleoptera Nitidulidae). Tissue Cell 28, 43-52. 

The site of hydrocarbon pheromone production in the nitidulid beetles has been identified as very large, round abdominal cells, connected to the tracheal system by fine ducts (Dowd and Bartelt, 1993 Nardi et al., 1996). The secretory cells contain several lipid spheres (presumably pheromone and pheromone precursors), and are dramatically larger in beetles that are actively emitting pheromone (Nardi et al., 1996). Pheromone apparently diffuses from the cells,... 

Bartelt R. J., Dowd P. F. and Plattner R. D. (1991) Aggregation pheromone of Carpophilus lugubris new pest management tools for the nitidulid beetles. In Naturally Occurring Pest Bioregulators, ed P. A. Hedin, pp. 27 -0. ACS Symposium Series No. 449, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. 

Bartelt, R. J., Weisleder, D. and Plattner, R.D. (1990c). Synthesis of nitidulid beetle pheromones alkyl-branched tetraene hydrocarbons. J. Agric. Food Chem., 38, 2192-2196. 

Lindgren, D.L. and Vincent, L.E. (1953). Nitidulid beetles infesting California dates. Hilgardia, 22, 97-118. 

The existence of a male-produced aggregation pheromone in the nitidulid beetle, CarpophUus luguhris Murray, was demonstrated using a wind tunnel (flight) bioassay. 

Pheromones are now routinely used as tools in the monitoring and control of a variety of insect pests, but until lately, nothing was known about the pheromones of nitidulid beetles. An aggregation pheromone was recently discovered in C. hemipterus (5), a close relative of C. lugubris, and it includes two tetraene hydrocarbons which were previously unknown to science (2F,4 ,6F,8 )-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-decatetraene (1) and (2F,4E,6F,8F)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene (2). The pheromone is produced by male... 

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