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Defensive secretion of the carabid beetlePasimachus subsulcatus

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Abstract

The defensive secretion of the carabid beetlePasimachus subsulcatus is a concentrated solution (up to 90%) of carboxylic acids, amounting to about 1% of body mass. It contains three major components (methacrylic, tiglic, and angelic acids) and four minor components (isobutyric, 2-methyl-butyric, isovaleric, and senecioic acids). In the single population of this large flightless beetle that was examined, the relative ratio of acidic components was remarkably constant from individual to individual.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, New York

    Bradley S. Davidson & Jerrold Meinwald

  2. Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, New York

    Thomas Eisner

  3. Department of Biology, University of South Florida, 33620, Tampa, Florida

    Brian Witz

Authors
  1. Bradley S. Davidson
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  2. Thomas Eisner
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  3. Brian Witz
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  4. Jerrold Meinwald
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Additional information

Report No. 87 of the series Defense Mechanisms of Arthropods; No. 86 is Dussourd, D., et al.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 85, 5992 (1988).

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Davidson, B.S., Eisner, T., Witz, B. et al. Defensive secretion of the carabid beetlePasimachus subsulcatus . J Chem Ecol 15, 1689–1697 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01012258

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01012258

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