Isolation and characterization of sex specific cuticular hydrocarbons in non-Drosophila, Phorticella striata (Sajjan and Krishnamurthy, 1975) (Diptera, Drosophilidae)

Abstract

Cuticular hydrocarbons are the major organic compounds synthesized by oenocytes. The CHCs act as sex pheromones, cell communicators, inhibits dissection, and chemotaxonomic cues. The CHCs were isolated from non-Drosophila species Phorticella striata (Sajjan and Krishnamurthy, 1975) (Diptera, Drosophilidae) by employing whole body extract through GCMS method. Among the identified organic compounds, a total of 38 compounds were obtained from male flies and 68 organic compounds were isolated from female flies, Majority of the CHCs identified were methyl branched alkanes, some of them were esters and alcohols. Male flies exhibit 15 specific CHCs in which tetradecane, 2, 6, 10-trimethylwas dominant with a relative abundance (15.60%) and cyclopropane tetradecanoic acid was the least found CHCs with a relative abundance (RA) of 0.75 per cent. The flies exhibit 28 female specific CHC‘s, among them tetradecane was dominant (r value of 19.20%) and Iodomethyl undecane was the least (RA=0.70%). Both male and female flies shared 23 CHCs, but the ratio among them showed great variance. Among the shared CHCs 3-Trifluoroacetoxy dodecane was dominant in female (RA=14.50%), the male exhibited RA of 4.66 per cent. In male flies 3-Trifluoroacetoxy pentadecane was most abundant CHC (RA=10.90%), than female (4.31%).