Aggregation pheromone components inDrosophila mulleri : A chiral ester and an unsaturated ketone.

Existence of an aggregation pheromone was demonstrated inDrosophila mulleri. Mature males produce at least two compounds that are lacking from females and newly emerged males and that attract both males and females in a wind-tunnel bioassay. These compounds are (S)-(+)-2-tridecanol acetate and (Z)-10-heptadecen-2-one. Both were synthesized, and the flies responded to the synthetic compounds as well as to fly-derived preparations. The flies also responded to racemic 2-tridecanol acetate but not to the pureR enantiomer. A more polar, very volatile attractant was also extracted from both sexes ofD. mulleri but was not identified.