Isolation and identification of 4,6,8-trimethyl-7,9-undecadien-5-ol, a female-specific compound, in tergal gland secretion ofCryptocercus punctulatus scudder (Dictyoptera: Cryptocercidae).

The secretion of the tergal glands ofCryptocercus punctulatus consists of a complex mixture of 27 compounds. Of this mixture, only one compound (compound B) is specific for females. By dissecting 200 tergal glands, 50 μg of pure compound B was collected by preparative GC; it was identified as (Z, E-4,6,8-trimethyl-7,9-undecadien-5-oI. Its functions as well as its absolute configuration still have to be determined.