Abstract
In the review we analyse the data on the chemical composition and structure of all known sex pheromones and attractants of the Zygaenidae (Insecta, Lepidoptera). An attempt was done to trace the possible ways of evolution of the attractive molecules and to reveal the structural characters that determine their biological activity. Currently, sex pheromones and sex attractants are known for two of the five Zygaenidae subfamilies. Sex attractants of Zygaeninae are esters of acetic acid and higher alcohols, while sex attractants of Procridinae are esters of 2-butanol and higher carboxylic acids. The hydrocarbon radicals of the known attractive molecules of the Zygaenidae contain an even number of carbon atoms (12, 14, 16) and usually one double bond. Species specificity of the chemical signal is connected not only with the qualitative but also with quantitative ratio of the components of pheromone/attractant mixture.