IDENTIFICATION OF SEX ATTRACTANT PHEROMONE COMPONENTS OF THE TUSSOCK MOTH, EUPROCTIS-TAIWANA (SHIRAKI) (LEPIDOPTERA, LYMANTRIIDAE)

Two compounds were isolated and identified from abdominal tips of the female tussock moth, Euproctis taiwana (Shiraki), by a combination of gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection, coupled gas chroma tography-mass spectrometric analysis, microreaction, and synthesis. Th ese compounds were (Z)-16-methyl-9-heptadecenyl isobutyrate (74.8%) an d 16-methylheptadecyl isobutyrate (25.2%). Their total amount was dete rmined to be ca. 29.8 ng/female. Field bioassays showed that (Z)-16-me thyl-9-heptadecenyl isobutyrate is a sex attractant for the male moths . These chemical compounds had not previously been found as the sex ph eromone components in the genus Euproctis.