Cholesterol in the Cuticular Wax of Boophilus microplus

Contact chemostimuli in the mating behaviour of the cattle tick,Boophilus microplus

“…In addition, substantial amounts of cholesterol were found in extracts of female B. microplus. Cholesterol and cholesteryl esters have been shown to be very abundant components of cuticle lipids of female B. microplus (Cherry, 1969). The relatively high proportion of saturated straight chain fatty acids found here on the female cuticle is also typical for bovine skin lipids (Lindholm et al, 1980;Downing and Lindholm, 1982) and differs from the free fatty acid profile of the same extract.…”

Cuticle: Biochemistry

“…Ketones with female sex pheromone properties occur in cuticular lipids of some insects, e. g., the German cockroach (Nishida et al 1975(Nishida et al , 1976. Sterols have been found in many lipids including that from the tick Boophilus microplus (Cherry 1969). On histochemical evidence cuticles are said to contain sterols, perhaps bound to protein (Chockalingam 1974;Dennell and Malek 1955).…”

“…Hydrocarbon components not only vary between species but also between instars and sexes of a species. Most of the published work has been on lipids from insects, but Crustacea (Hamilton et al 1975), scorpion (Hadley and Jackson 1977;Hadley 1977, 1979), tick (Cherry 1969), spider (Hadley 1978) and Limulus (van der Horst et al 1973) cuticular lipids have also been examined. In view of the complex natures of the lipids, Lockey (1981Lockey ( , 1982 reported more than 40 hydrocarbons in the lipid from tenebrionid beetles, the fact that many publications are restricted to one chemical class of lipid, and the large number of species which have now been examined, no attempt has been made here to tabulate the results.…”

Biology of the Integument

“…Surface lipids prevent excessive water loss (see Chap. Most of the published work has been on lipids from insects, but Crustacea (Hamilton et al 1975), scorpion (Hadley and Jackson 1977;Toolson andHadley 1977, 1979), tick (Cherry 1969), spider (Hadley 1978) and Limulus (van der Horst et al. 35) and microorganisms, and may act as sex pheromones.…”

“…Free oc-hydroxy acids have also been found. Sterols have been found in many lipids including that from the tick Boophilus microplus (Cherry 1969). As esters these alcohols are major components in a number of insect lipids (see above reviews, Baker 1978, Jackson 1981.…”