Cuticular lipids of insects: VIII. Alkanes of the Mormon cricket Anabrus simplex.

The cuticular hydrocarbons of the Mormon cricket, Anabrus simplex, are all saturated and consist of n-alkanes (29+%), 3-methylalkanes (12%), internally branched monomethylalkanes (26+%), and dimethylalkanes (28+%). The principal n-alkane is the C29 component, with a range from C23 to C33. The 3-methylalkanes range from C28 to C32, and the internally branched monomethyl- and dimethylalkanes range from C29 to C39. When the branched alkanes of A. simplex are compared to those from other insects in the order Orthoptera, interesting patterns of methyl branching are observed.