Spray mechanism of crepidogastrine bombardier beetles (Carabidae; Crepidogastrini) |
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| Authors: | Thomas Eisner Daniel J Aneshansley Jayne Yack Athula B Attygalle Maria Eisner |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, W347 Mudd Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA, e-mail: te14@cornell.edu, US;(2) Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Riley-Robb Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA, US;(3) Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6 , CA;(4) Department of Chemistry, Baker Laboratory, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA, US |
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| Abstract: | Summary. The defensive glandular apparatus of primitive bombardier beetles of the tribe Crepidogastrini (Carabidae) is described for
the first time. As exemplified by two African species (Crepidogaster ambreana and C. atrata), the apparatus conforms to the basic bombardier plan, in that the glands are bicompartmented and the secretion is quinonoid
(it contains 1,4-benzoquinones and hydrocarbons), hot, and discharged audibly. In a number of morphological respects the crepidogastrine
apparatus resembles that of the classical bombardiers of the tribe Brachinini (rather than that of bombardiers of the paussoid
lineage), reinforcing the view, already held on taxonomic grounds, that the Crepidogastrini and Brachinini are closely related.
That the Crepidogastrini may be primitive relative to Brachinini is underscored by the finding that, unlike brachinines, crepidogastrines
do not pulse their secretory emissions. Moreover, they discharge their secretion as a mist, rather than forcibly in the form
of jets.
Received 22 May 2001; accepted 29 May 2001. |
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| Keywords: | , Bombardier beetle —,Crepidogaster—, evolution —, chemical defense —, benzoquinones —, hydrocarbons —, Coleoptera —, Carabidae |
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