Chemical defense of a primitive Australian bombardier beetle (Carabidae):Mystropomus regularis |
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| Authors: | Thomas Eisner Athula B. Attygalle Maria Eisner Daniel J. Aneshansley Jerrold Meinwald |
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| Affiliation: | (1) Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Seeley G. Mudd Hall, 14853 Ithaca, New York, USA;(2) Department of Chemistry, Cornell University, Seeley G. Mudd Hall, 14853 Ithaca, New York, USA;(3) Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Cornell University, Seeley G. Mudd Hall, 14853 Ithaca, New York, USA |
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| Abstract: | Summary The Australian bombardier beetle,Mystropomus regularis, sprays a mixture of quinones (1,4-benzoquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone, 2-ethyl-1,4-benzoquinone) and hydrocarbons (principallyn-pentadecane). The defensive fluid ist generated explosively in two-chambered glands, and is ejected audibly and hot (maximal recorded temperature = 59°C).Mystropomus is a member of the paussoid lineage of bombardiers. In common with other members of the group, it has a pair of elytral flanges (flanges of Coanda), associated with the gland openings, that serve as launching guides for anteriorly-aimed ejections of spray. It is argued thatMystropomus may be the least derived of flanged paussoids, and the closest living relative of the most primitive of extant bombardiers (Metriini).Paper no. 101 of the series Defense Mechanisms of Arthropods; no. 100 is Attygalleet al. J Chem Ecol 17: 805 (1991) |
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| Keywords: | defensive secretion hot secretion elytral flanges evolution benzoquinones hydrocarbons bombardier beetle Coleoptera Carabidae Paussinae |
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