Abstract
Pitipeptolide A is the major secondary metabolite in a persistent population of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula from Guam. Because this cyanobacterium is of low preference to many sympatric consumers, we tested the hypothesis that this compound acted as a chemical defense. Pitipeptolide A was deterrent to urchins, two species of amphipods, and small herbivorous crabs, whereas it did not deter feeding by the sea hare Stylocheilus striatus, which readily consumes cyanobacteria. Although our comparison included various small invertebrates, which are often tolerant to algal chemical defenses, this cyanobacterial compound proved deterrent at natural concentrations to all but one of the consumer species tested. Thus, the production of defensive secondary metabolites is likely related to the common occurrence of L. majuscula on this coral reef despite the abundance of diverse grazers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Capper, A., Tibbetts, I. R., O’Neil, Y. M., and Shaw, G. R. 2005. The fate of Lyngbya majuscula toxins in three potential consumers. J. Chem. Ecol. 31:1595–1606.
Cruz-Rivera, E. and Paul, V. J. 2002. Coral reef benthic cyanobacteria as food and refuge: Diversity, chemistry and complex interactions. Proc. 9th Int. Coral Reef Symp. 1:515–520.
Cruz-Rivera, E. and Paul, V. J. 2006. Feeding by coral reef mesograzers: Algae or cyanobacteria? Coral Reefs. in press.
Hay, M. E. and Steinberg, P. D. 1992. The chemical ecology of plant–herbivore interactions in marine versus terrestrial communities, pp. 372–408, in G. A. Rosenthal and M. R. Berenbaum (eds.). Herbivores: Their Interactions with Secondary Plant Metabolites, Vol. II, Ecological and Evolutionary Processes. Academic Press, San Diego.
Hay, M. E., Stachowicz, J. J., Cruz-Rivera, E., Bullard, S., Deal, M. S., and Lindquist, N. 1998. Bioassays with marine and freshwater macroorganisms, pp. 39–141, in K. F. Haynes and J. G. Millar (eds.). Bioassay Methods: Methods in Chemical Ecology, Vol. 2. Chapman and Hall, New York.
Luesch, H., Pangilinan, R., Yoshida, W. Y., Moore, R. E., and Paul, V. J. 2001. Pitipeptolides A and B, new cyclodepsipeptides from the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula. J. Nat. Prod. 64:304–307.
Pangilinan, R. F. 2000. Effects of light and nutrients on intraspecific secondary metabolite variation in the benthic cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula. M.S. thesis, University of Guam, 29 p.
Paul, V. J., Cruz-Rivera, E., and Thacker, R. W. 2001. Chemical mediation of macroalgal–herbivore interactions: Ecological and evolutionary perspectives, pp. 227–265, in J. McClintock and W. Baker (eds.). Marine Chemical Ecology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Rudman, W. B. 1999. Stylocheilus longicauda and Stylocheilus citrina nomenclatural discussion. Sea Slug Forum, http://seaslugforum.net/stylnome.htm.
Thacker, R. W., Ginsburg, D. W., and Paul, V. J. 2001. Effects of herbivore exclusion and nutrient enrichment on coral reef macroalgae and cyanobacteria. Coral Reefs 19:318–329.
Acknowledgments
Funding for this study was provided by an NIH Postdoctoral Supplement (to E. Cruz-Rivera) to NIH grant CA 53001 (J. Horwitz, P.I.). We thank the reviewers whose comments improved this manuscript. This is contribution # 589 of the University of Guam Marine Laboratory and contribution # 670 from the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cruz-Rivera, E., Paul, V.J. Chemical Deterrence of a Cyanobacterial Metabolite against Generalized and Specialized Grazers. J Chem Ecol 33, 213–217 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9212-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9212-y