Evidence of aggregation–sex pheromone use by longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) species native to Africa

Abstract

During field bioassays in Kenya of 10 chemicals that are common pheromone components of cerambycid beetles, six species in the subfamily Cerambycinae were significantly attracted to 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one, and one species in the subfamily Lamiinae was significantly attracted to 2-(undecyloxy)ethanol (known as monochamol). These results further demonstrate that the former compound is highly conserved as a cerambycid pheromone because it has now been identified or implicated in the pheromones of numerous cerambycine species native to all six habitable continents. Similarly, monochamol has been identified or implicated as a pheromone component for species in the subfamily Lamiinae native to Asia, Europe, North America, and now Africa. The eight other compounds tested, including (E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-ol (fuscumol), the corresponding (E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-yl acetate (fuscumol acetate), syn- and anti-(2,3)-hexanediols and (2,3)-octanediols, 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one, and 3-hydroxydecan-2-one, did not attract significant numbers of any species.