Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pregnanes from defensive glands of a belostomatid bug

  • Research Articles
  • Published:
Experientia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aquatic bugAbedus herberti (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) secretes a mixture containing four pregnanes (desoxycorticosterone (I), pregnenolone (II), progesterone (III), and 3α-hydroxy-pregn-5-en-20-one (IV)) from its cephalic glands. Pregnanes had previously been characterized from the defensive glands of aquatic beetles (Dytiscidae) and shown to be deterrent to fish. It may be specifically under predation pressure from fish thatA. herberti and Dytiscidae evolved their comparable defenses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature

  1. Paper no. 112 of the series Defense Mechanisms of Arthropods; no. 111 is Eisner, T., and Eisner, M., Psyche (in press).

  2. Scrimshaw, S., and Kerfoot, W. C., in: Predation: Direct and Indirect Impacts on Aquatic Communities. p. 240. Eds W. C. Kerfoot and A. Sih. University Press of New England, London 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Miller, R. J., and Mumma, R. O., J. chem. Ecol.2 (1976) 115.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Miller, R. J., and Mumma, R. O., J. chem. Ecol.2 (1976) 130.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gerhart, D. J., Bondura, M. E., and Commito, J. A., J. chem. Ecol.17 (1991) 1363.

    Google Scholar 

  6. De Carlo, J. M., Physis86 (1974) 133.

    Google Scholar 

  7. DeCarlo, J. M., Actas y Trabajos Primer Congreso Sudamericano de Zoologia5 (1961) 127.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Heller, S. R., and Milne, G. W. A., EPA/NIH Mass Spectral Data Base, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Weinmann, J., and Weinmann, S., Steroids6 (1965) 683.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Clayton, R. B., in: Chemical Ecology. p. 235. Eds F. Sondheimer and J. B. Simeone. Academic Press, New York 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Brower, L. P., Nelson, C. J., Seiber, J. N., Fink, L. S., and Bond, C., in: Chemical Mediation of Coevolution, p. 447. Ed. K. C. Spencer. Academic Press, San Diego, CA 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pasteels, J. M., Rowell-Rahier, M., Raupp, M. J., in: Novel Aspects of Insect-Plant Interactions, p. 235. Eds P. Barbosa and D. Latourneau. John Wiley & Sons, London 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Goetz, M., Meinwald, J., and Eisner, T., Experientia37 (1981) 679.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Eisner, T., Bioscience32 (1982) 321.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Meinwald, J., Roach, B., Hicks, K., Alsop, D., and Eisner, T., Experientia41 (1985) 516.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Meinwald, J., Roach, B., and Eisner, T., J. chem. Ecol.13 (1987) 35.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Lawrence University, 54911, Appleton, Wisconsin, USA

    J. Lokensgard

  2. Department of Entomolgoy, University of Arizona, 84721, Tucson, Arizona, USA

    R. L. Smith

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

    T. Eisner

  4. Department of Chemistry, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, New York, USA

    J. Meinwald

Authors
  1. J. Lokensgard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. L. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. Eisner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Meinwald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lokensgard, J., Smith, R.L., Eisner, T. et al. Pregnanes from defensive glands of a belostomatid bug. Experientia 49, 175–176 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01989425

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01989425

Key words

Search

Navigation