Identification of Sex Pheromones of Anadevidia peponis and Macdunnoughia confusa,
　　 and Field Tests of Their Role in Reproductive Isolation of Closely Related Plusiinae Moths. 

Abstract
 Anadevidia peponis and Macdunnoughia confusa are defoliators of plants in the family
 Cucurbitaceae and Compositae, respectively, in Japan.  GC-MS analyses of crude pheromone gland 
extracts treated with or without dimethyl disulfide indicated that females of A. peponis produced
six monoene acetates and two monoene alcohols and that M. confusa females produced five monoene 
acetates.  These components include (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate as a major common constituent and 
three other acetates as minor common constituents.  The minor constituents are quite different in contents 
in blend compositions.  In addition with (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate, an indispensable component for 
male attraction is (Z)-5-decenyl acetate for A. peponis and (Z)-9-tetradecenyl 
acetate is essential for M. confusa.  Field tests with synthetic lures showed synergistic effects of 
some other minor components and male attraction of three additional Plusiinae species, 
Macdunnoughia purissima, Ctenoplusia albostriata, and Chrysodeixis eriosoma, 
suggesting their reproductive isolation is based in part on pheromonal communication.

Key Words:  Sex pheromone, lepidopteran attractant, Noctuidae, Plusiinae, (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate, 
　     　　(Z)-5-decenyl acetate, (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate, reproductive isolation