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Vertical Food Web Interactions pp 115–145Cite as

Inter- and Intraspecific Transfer of Toxic Insect Compound Cantharidin

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Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 130))

Abstract

Many arthropods are known to take up and to sequester toxic secondary compounds without being damaged (Bowers 1990). On the contrary, they use these plant-produced defensive chemicals for their own purposes and may increase their individual fitness. Very peculiar associations are observed between secondary chemicals from plants and so-called pharmacophagous insects. To these organisms special exogenous secondary compounds are highly attractive and are subsequently taken orally, detoxified and sequestered. These compounds drug-like may also increase survivorship of the pharmacophagous organism, because they are used as pheromone precursors or have morphogenetic activities (Boppré 1986). Moreover, these biologically active substances may be intra- and interspecifically transferred which may even result in a transfer of a special compound through trophic levels of an ecosystem.

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  1. K. Dettner
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Tierökologie II, Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, D-95440, Bayreuth, Germany

    Konrad Dettner

  2. Institut für Biologie I, Universität Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Gerhard Bauer

  3. Lehrstuhl für Tierökologie I, Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, D-95440, Bayreuth, Germany

    Wolfgang Völkl

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Dettner, K. (1997). Inter- and Intraspecific Transfer of Toxic Insect Compound Cantharidin. In: Dettner, K., Bauer, G., Völkl, W. (eds) Vertical Food Web Interactions. Ecological Studies, vol 130. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60725-7_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60725-7_8

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64528-0

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