Cuticular lipids of insects: II. Hydrocarbons of the cockroachesPeriplaneta australasiae,Periplaneta brunnea andPeriplaneta fuliginosa

The major cuticular hydrocarbons of the cockroachesPeriplaneta australasiae, Periplaneta brunnea andPeriplaneta fuliginosa aren-tricosane,cis-9-tricosene, 3-methyltricosane, 11-methyltricosane and 13-methylpentacosane. There are as yet unexplained quantitative differences between the hydrocarbon compositions of males and females ofP. australasiae andP. fuliginosa, cis-9-tricosene being a major hydrocarbon of the males only. A series of mono-methyl internally branched hydrocarbons ranging in chain length from 23 to 26 carbons with the methyl branch on the 13th carbon from one end was observed. Minor quantities of other hydrocarbons have been identified.