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Wearing a raincoat: exocrine secretions contain anti-wetting agents in the oribatid mite, Liacarus subterraneus (Acari: Oribatida)

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Abstract

Liacarus subterraneus is a large, soil-dwelling oribatid mite species that possesses a conspicuously shiny, clean and not wettable cuticular surface. The exocrine cuticular chemistry of this species was investigated by means of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Besides a fraction of hydrocarbons and a terpene, hexane extracts of whole mite bodies exhibited free carboxylic acids and their glycerides as main components. The compounds were arranged in three distinct extract profiles. Based on data from individual extracts, (1) the majority (more than 3/4) of specimens showed large amounts of 1,2-dioctanoyl-glycerol (and three other related esters) but no (or only traces of) free carboxylic acids. (2) In about 1/8 of extracts, free acids (mainly octanoic (caprylic) acid) and glycerides were detected. This second type of profile highly varied with respect to the relative abundance of acids and esters. (3) The third profile (in about 7% of specimens) exclusively exhibited free acids and no (or only traces of) glycerides. In addition, a few extracts exhibited no components at all. The extract compounds most likely originate from the lipid layer of the cerotegument of L. subterraneus. The cuticle of individuals that possessed extractable cerotegumental compounds (profile I, II, III) exhibited strong water repellent properties, while the cuticle of individuals that possessed no components in their extract did not. After hexane extraction, water repellent properties got lost. The distinct extract profiles detected most likely portray the stepwise generation of an anti-wetting, exocrine surface lipid layer of glycerides: If this layer is lost, fatty acids may be discharged again (profile III) and may subsequently esterify (profile II) to larger and more stable esters (diacyl-glycerols), eventually building up the “raincoat” (mainly profile I) of L. subterraneus.

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Acknowlegdements

This study was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), project number P18486. We are grateful to Dr. Günther Krisper (Institute of Zoology, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Austria) for determination of Liacarus subterraneus and for critically reading the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Zoology, Karl-Franzens-University, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria

    Günther Raspotnig

  2. Department of Biochemical Analysis and Mass Spectrometry, Childrens Hospital, Medical University, Auenbruggerplatz 30, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Günther Raspotnig & Hans-Jörg Leis

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  1. Günther Raspotnig
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  2. Hans-Jörg Leis
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Correspondence to Günther Raspotnig.

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Raspotnig, G., Leis, HJ. Wearing a raincoat: exocrine secretions contain anti-wetting agents in the oribatid mite, Liacarus subterraneus (Acari: Oribatida). Exp Appl Acarol 47, 179–190 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-008-9212-4

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