Ra. Jurenka et al., HYDROCARBON PROFILES OF DIAPAUSING AND REPRODUCTIVE ADULT FACE FLIES (MUSCA-AUTUMNALIS), Archives of insect biochemistry and physiology, 37(3), 1998, pp. 206-214
Hydrocarbons present on the cuticle surface of adult face flies, Musca
autumnalis, were identified by GC-MS and quantified by GC. Hydrocarbo
ns consisted of n-, monomethyl, and dimethyl alkanes ranging in chain
length from 23-29 carbons. Also present were monounsaturated. alkenes
with chain lengths of 23, 25, 27, and 29 carbons. Wild-caught flies we
re extracted and hydrocarbon profiles determined for both diapausing a
nd, reproductive adult males and females. Few qualitative differences
were found between males and females in the hydrocarbon profile. Diffe
rences in percent composition were found between diapausing and reprod
uctive flies in monounsaturated alkenes, 4 and 45%, n-alkanes, 24 and
37%, monomethylalkanes, 57 and 15%, and dimethylalkanes, 15 and 2%, re
spectively, for females. A small difference was found in the total amo
unt of hydrocarbon present, 7.3 +/- 0.6 and 9.7 +/- 1.1 mu g/fly, betw
een diapausing and reproductive female flies, respectively. Adult male
s also exhibited a similar change in hydrocarbon profile and amount be
tween diapausing and reproductive flies. A laboratory strain of face f
lies originating in Minnesota was also analyzed, and again similar dif
ferences were observed in both male and female flies that were kept un
der a reproductive or diapause condition. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.