Tabata, J., Ichiki, R.T., Moromizato, C., & Mori, K. 2017 Sex pheromone of a coccoid insect with sexual and asexual lineages: fate of an ancestrally essential sexual signal in parthenogenetic females. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 14: 20170027
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Notes: Here,we isolated, characterized and synthesized a novel monoterpene, (2)-(anti-1,2-dimethyl-3- methylenecyclopentyl)acetaldehyde, as a pheromone of the sexual females of Dysmicoccus brevipes. This monoterpene aldehyde, with an irregular linkage of isoprene units, is notable, because all mealybug pheromones previously reported are carboxylic esters of terpenols. This compound was, however, never produced by the asexual females. As a consequence of acquiring parthenogenetic reproduction, the asexual females appear to have abandoned the production of the sex pheromone, which had been essential to attracting males in their ancestors.
