Aggregation Pheromone of Tribolium freemani HINTON : Coleoptera : Tenebrionidae : I. Identification of the Aggregation Pheromone

Abstract

The presence of the aggregation pheromone of Tribolium freemani HINTON was confirmed. The pentane eluate of Porapak Q column from male beetles attracted both sexes. In the cross-attraction tests among T. castaneum, T. confusum and T. freemani, T. castaneum was attracted to T. freemani volatile, whereas T. freemani did not respond to T. castaneum pheromone. T. freemani was also attracted to T. confusum pheromone. However, the aggregation pheromone of T. freemani was identified as 4, 8-dimethyldecanal on the basis of GLC and MS. This compound was a common aggregation pheromone among these three species, and was termed "Tribolure." The activity of "Tribolure" to T. freemani seemed to be largely dependent upon the composition ratios of the stereoisomers of the compound as well as other Tribolium.