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Multifidene and Aucantene, Cl1 Hydrocarbons in the Male-Attracting Essential Oil from the Gynogametes of Cutleria multij?da (Smith) Grev. (Phaeophyta) Sir :Cellular chemotaxis plays a role in the reproduction of brown algae (Phaeophyta); Le., the gynogametes (eggs) release volatile substances that act as attractants for the androgametes (sperm). In the isogamous seaweed Ectocarpus siliculosus, for example, the sex attractant has been identified as (6S)-(cis-l '-buteny1)-1,C cycloheptadiene (ectocarpene, 4), a compound which is also a constituent of the essential oils from vegetative thalli of Dictyopteris plagiogramma and D . australis. 3, In the oogamous seaweed Fucus serratus the male attractant is a 1,3,5-octatriene (f~coserratene).~ In this communication we wish to report the isolation and structure determination of the male-attracting substance and a related, biologically inactive compound (6) Male gametes were exposed to vaseline droplets containing the samples. The halo of gametes around such lures, measured against blanks, is indicative of gamone activity: D. G. Miiller, Biochem.Physiol. PP., in press.