Chemistry of fruit flies: composition of the male rectal gland secretions of some species of South-East Asian Dacinae. Re-examination of Dacus cucurbitae(melon fly)

Abstract

The major components of the rectal glandular secretions of male Dacus (Bactrocera) umbrosus(jack fruit fly), D. (Bactrocera) nigrotibialis, D. (Bactrocera) albistrigatus, D. (Zeugodacus) tau and D. (Zeugodacus) sp. (taxonomically similar to D. tau) have been identified. Alcohols, spiroacetals, and amides are the dominant components. The major component in the rectal gland secretion of Dacus (Zeugodacus) cucurbitae(melon fly) is shown to be ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate and not 2-ethoxybenzoic acid.