BIOLOGICAL-ACTIVITY OF A FURANYL ANTI-JUVENILE HORMONAL COMPOUND ON TRIATOMINE LARVAE

Applied topically to larvae of Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma infestans, Triatoma Vitticeps, Panstrongylus herrera and Panstrongylus megistus a novel, synthetic, furan-containing anti-juvenile hormonal compound, 2 -(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl furfuryl ether (EEFE) induced a variety of biol ogical responses attributable to an enforced cessation of juvenile hor mone secretion, including precocious metamorphosis into diminutive adu ltoids and retardation of molting. The highest percentage of precociou s adultoids was obtained when EEFE was applied prior to feeding. In de creasing order of sensitivity to this anti-juvenile hormone (AJH) were T. infestans, R. prolixus, P. herrera, P. megistus and T. vitticeps. The ED(50) of EEFE in R. prolixus compared well with that of the botan ically derived AJH, precocene II, but T. infestans was significantly m ore sensitive to the furanyl antihormone than to precocene II. The sig nificance of these findings is discussed in terms of the complexity of expression of the anti-juvenile hormonal activity during the post-emb ryonic development of triatomines.