Compared behavioral responses of maleDrosophila melanogaster (Canton S) to natural and synthetic aphrodisiacs.

Cuticular aphrodisiacs fromD. melanogaster females were further characterized and the male response specificity towards such natural and synthetic unsaturated hydrocarbons was investigated. The behavioral activity seems to be correlated with some chain-length requirement and double-bond position; at least one double bond in position 7 seems necessary. This position is more abundant among natural monoenes, and among dienes which also bear a second double bond in position 11, whatever the chain length. Bioassays of the synthetic (Z,Z)-7,11-heptacosadiene yielded a dose-response curve close to that of the natural mixture of heptacosadienes in which the 7-11 isomer is predominant. This female specific 7,11 heptacosadiene appears to be the most potent aphrodisiac for males of the species. Its threshold is lower than that of both 7,11-nonacosadiene and 7-pentacosene which might also play a role in sex and species recognition.