VOLATILE NITROGENOUS BASES EMANATING FROM LABORATORY-REARED COLONIES OF DESERT LOCUST SCHISTOCERCA GREGARIA

The volatile nitrogenous bases associated with colonies of the desert locust were isolated by an air-entrainment method, and a possible source of the volatile bases emanating from the mature male locust, the accessory sexual glands, was examined. The p-nitrophenylazobenzenesulphonyl derivatives and the 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulphonyl derivatives of these bases were separated by preparative thin-layer chromatography and were identified by analytical thin-layer chromatography, mass spectrometry, and melting-point data. Ammonia was found to be associated with sexually mature males, sexually mature virgin females, and with immature males up to 6 days after ecdysis. Dimethylamine is produced by mature male and female colonies. An unusual amine, Δ1-pyrroline-an oxidation product of putrescine-was found to be associated with mature males. A minute trace of this substance was also associated with the mature female. Dimethylamine, putrescine, and spermidine were among the nitrogenous bases isolated from the accessory sexual glands of the mature male locust. © 1969.