• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.32 no.9
• /
• pp.3213-3214
• /
• 2011

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.331-337
• /
• 2009

Twenty-eight Anopheles species has been so-far identified in Iran, while only 8 species was proved as malaria vector. In this study, we principally examined the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) potency in identification of Iranian vectors of malaria and then differentiation of vector and non-vector species of Anopheles. Seven species of malaria vectors and the non-vector species, Anopheles claviger were collected throughout Iran. Female extracts were made out of every five conspecific specimens by surface immersion in pure n-hexane. Each sample was injected into a FID-GC instrument along with the known concentrations of standards. CHC profiles of the eight Anopheles species indicated no qualitative difference. The average mass of each eluted CHC were compared using Repeated ANOVA and Mann-Whitney tests. Results confirmed a significant difference in mass of each single CHC at a specific retention time (RT). Statistical comparison of CHC mass in An. sacharovi, An. stephensi, An. culicifacies and An. fluviatilis at RT 39.6 indicated significant differences (P<0.05) among these species. Analysis of CHC mass of An. dthali, An. superpictus & An. sacharovi at RT 28.5, An. stephensi & An. sacharovi at RT 30.7 and An. sacharovi & An. claviger at RT 30.6 similarly indicated significant differences (P<0.05). An. sacharovi could be distinguished from other species, which showed only trace, by integratable peaks at retention times of 29.7, 31 and 32.6. Similarly, An. claviger could be distinguished from the other species with a trace peak at RT 30.6. In order to separate An. stephensi from the five other species, the integratable peak at RT 30.7 was used. An. dthali could be identified at RT 26.2 by an integratable peak v.s. the trace peaks of other species. An. superpictus had indicator peaks at RTs 27.4 & 28.5 v.s. trace peaks of other species. An. maculipennis with its trace peak at RT 39.6 could be easily differentiated from An. fluviatilis & An. culicifacies. This study proved that all of the examined species of Anopheles could be well identified based on their quantitative differences in CHCs, except for An. fluviatilis & An. culicifacies for which no CHC indicator peak was detected.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.165-170
• /
• 2008

Cuticular hydrocarbons(CHCs) of the epicuticle wax layer are so far used to differentiate the insects in species and subspecies levels. In this study, four species of malaria vectors(genus Anopheles) were collected from various localities in southern Iran. Twenty specimens of each species were randomly selected and one epicuticular extract was prepared of every five specimens. FID-GC profiles of the extracts did not show any qualitative difference. Using significant difference of CHC mass at retention time(RT) 39.6, the two species of An. sacharovi and An. fluviatilis could be distinguished. Similarly, the two species of An. superpictus & An. sacharovi and An. dthali & An. sacharovi were differentiated by their CHC level at RT 28.5. An. sacharovi was distinguished by integratable peaks at RTs 29.7, 30.6, 30.7, 31 and 32.6 while the other three species just indicated trace peaks at the same RTs. Similarly, An. dthali could be known by an integratable peak at RT 26.2 while An. fluviatilis and An. superpictus indicated trace peaks at the same RT. Integratable peaks and traces at RTs 27.4 and 28.5 were respectively used to differentiate An. superpictus from An. fluviatilis. Lastly, CHC trace amount of An. superpictus at RT 39.6 is another indicator to distinguish it from An. fluviatilis with an integratable peak at the same RT. In harmony with other studies worldwide we hereby report that quantitative analysis of CHCs was successfully applied to differentiate the four Anopheles species of southern Iran.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.148-153
• /
• 2020

Cleisostoma scolopendrifolium is an orchid species solely pollinated by the male bee Megachile yasumatsui. Although C. scolopendrifolium is an endangered species in Korea, little is known about its pollination mechanisms or the profiles of its chemical attractants. This study provides evidence that the Cleisostoma orchid attracts male bees as pollinators by mimicking female mating signals. We found 13 hydrocarbons in the Cleisostoma orchid flower presumed to be involved in sex pheromone mimicry: five alkanes (tricosane, pentacosane, heptacosane, nonacosane, and hentriacontane), compounds of cuticular hydrocarbons which function as chemical cues for the recognition of mates and species in social insects; and eight alkenes ((z)-9-tricosene, (z)-9-pentacosene, (z)-11-pentacosene, (z)-9-heptacosene, (z)-11-heptacosene, (z)-9-nonacosene, (z)-11-nonacosene, and (z)-11-hentriacontene) which serve as sex pheromones in several insects. We suggest that these hydrocarbons play a key role in the pollination mechanism between Cleisostoma orchids and Megachile bees.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.185-194
• /
• 2011

Aliphatic cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of different developmental stages of the spot clothing wax cicada, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) were analyzed using GC and GC-MS. The numbers of carbons in the major CHCs of each developmental stage 32, 33, 28, 38, 37 in the egg, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th instar nymphal stages, and adults, respectively. The cuticle of Lycorma delicatula contains mainly methyl-branched 9-methylheptacosane (15.11%) in the egg stage, and a high proportion of n-heptacosane in nymphal stages (15.75, 22.42, 25.04, and 23.11 % in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th instars, respectively). In contrast, male and female adults had high proportions of n-nonacosane (13.42 and 16.55%). The chemical constituents of CHCs were classified into five groups (n-alkanes, monomethylalkanes, dimethylalkanes, trimethylalkanes, olefins) and group profiles of each developmental stage were compared. Egg surface was composed mainly monomethylalkanes (45.39%), a saturated hydrocarbon. Nymph CHCs consisted primarily of n-alkanes (37.63 to 46.12%). There was a difference between adult male and female CHCs. However, both contained n-alkanes and monomethylalkanes. CHCs with trimethyl or double bonded structure were rare in all stages.