New defensive chemical data for ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae): interpretations in a phylogenetic framework (original) (raw)
Related papers
Biol J Linn Soc, 2000
First reports of major defensive chemicals for ground beetles representing four tribes include: Morionini (formic acid), Dercylini (methacrylic and tiglic acids), Catapieseini (formic acid and decyl acetate) and Perigonini (formic acid and decyl acetate). Multiple species from Loxandrini were sampled and, shown to contain formic acid, not salicylaldehyde as previously reported. Several hexenoic acid compounds were found in the clivinine genus Schizogenius representing a third class of chemicals for that tribe. Salicylaldehyde was found for the first time in a species of Oodini. Additional species from Pterostichini, Patrobini and Odacanthini were sampled and the results were found to be consistent with previously published reports. The taxonomic distribution of defensive secretions is reviewed for tribes across the family Carabidae. The simultaneous occurrence of hydrocarbons and formic acid is noted in phylogenetically more derived carabids. By mapping chemical classes onto a phylogenetic hypothesis, it is shown that formic acid or other relatively strong irritants are correlated with tribes having a high species diversity in tropical regions, whereas tribes exhibiting higher diversity in temperate regions use milder saturated/unsaturated carboxylic acids. Based on this phylogenetic interpretation, the evolution and maintenance of formic acid is interpreted as the result of predation pressures and possibly the evolution of chemical mimicry.
Defensive Production of Formic Acid (80%) by a Carabid Beetle (Galerita Lecontei
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 1997
The carabid beetle Galerita lecontei has a pair of abdominal defensive glands that secrete a mixture of formic acid, acetic acid, and lipophilic components (long-chain hydrocarbons and esters). Formic acid, at the concentration of 80%, is the principal constituent. The beetle ejects the secretion as a spray, which it aims accurately toward parts of the body subjected to assault. At full capacity, the glands store 4.5 mg of formic acid (3% of body mass), enough for upward of six ejections. The beetle reloads the glands at a rate of 126 g of formic acid per day. For the approximately 500 secretory cells of the glands, this means an hourly output of 10 ng of formic acid per cell, or about 5% of cell volume. Replenishing empty glands to their full formic acid load takes the beetle an estimated 37 days. Replenishing the 0.7 mg of formic acid expended in a single discharge takes 5.5 days.
The value of defensive compounds as taxonomic characters in the classification of leaf beetles
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 1993
Defensive compounds of the Chrysomelini belong to various chemical classes. They are produced by very distinct biosynthetic pathways (e.g. isoxazolinone and nitropropanoic acid glucosides, a non-proteinous amino acid, cardenolides, polyoxygenated steroid glycosides) or sequestered from their host plant (pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxides). Their distribution does not completely match the current classification of Seeno and Wilcox : Colaspidema atra is misplaced in the Chrysomelina; the Chrysolina spp. feeding on Hypericurn form a homogenous taxon; the Chrysolinina and the Doryphorina are more closely related to each other than to the other subtribes. Defensive compounds are useful markers to disclose inconsistencies or weaknesses of available classifications but not necessarily to resolve the problems. The precise composition of cardenolide mixtures secreted by Chrysolinina spp. appear to be useful at the specific and infraspecific levels. At these levels, a better estimation of the taxonomic value of the secretions of leaf beetles must await further understanding of their function not only in defense, but also in the reproductive biology of the species.
Chemoecology, 1996
A comparative morphological and chemical study of six endemic species of Cataglyphis from the Iberian Peninsula: C. ibericus, C. rosenhaueri, C. hispanicus, C. humeya, C. velox and C. Jtoricola and the Moroccan species C. bombycinus is described. The morphological study relied primarily on genitalia characteristics, whereas the chemical study concentrated on the postpharyngeal gland constituents. Cladograms based on the morphological and chemical data were performed using Ward's method. The dendrogram based on morphological features revealed that the Iberian Cataglyphis can be classified into three species groups albicans, altisquamis and emmae. The same pattern occurred when the dimethylalkanes constituents of the postpharyngeal gland were utilised as character states, with a slight displacement of species within the altisquamis group. However, when the complete hydrocarbon blend was utilised major discrepancies in the dendrograms occurred. CatagIyphis velox proved to be very similar to C. bombycinus, whereas C. ftoricola clustered with the other two species of the altisquamis group. Based on the geographical distribution and paleontological data (Tinaut 1993) it is assumed that C. floricola recently invaded the Iberian Peninsula. Based on the chemical findings we postulate that chemical character displacement occurred in C. floricola as a result of its sympatry with C. velox after the former colonized the Iberian Peninsula. We further discuss the possible reason for the different dendrograms obtained when only the dimethylalkanes are considered and its implication for the communicative role of the postpharyngeal gland secretion in these ants.
Journal of Insect Science, 2010
This study is the first to measure the quantity of pygidial gland secretions released defensively by carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and to accurately measure the relative quantity of formic acid contained in their pygidial gland reservoirs and spray emissions. Individuals of three typical formic acid producing species were induced to repeatedly spray, ultimately exhausting their chemical compound reserves. Beetles were subjected to faux attacks using forceps and weighed before and after each ejection of chemicals. Platynus brunneomarginatus (Mannerheim) (Platynini), P. ovipennis (Mannerheim) (Platynini) and Calathus ruficollis Dejean (Sphodrini), sprayed average quantities with standard error of 0.313 ± 0.172 mg, 0.337 ± 0.230 mg, and 0.197 ± 0.117 mg per spray event, respectively. The quantity an individual beetle released when induced to spray tended to decrease with each subsequent spray event. The quantity emitted in a single spray was correlated to the quantity held in the reservoirs at the time of spraying for beetles whose reserves are greater than the average amount emitted in a spray event. For beetles with a quantity less than the average amount sprayed in reserve there was no significant correlation. For beetles comparable in terms of size, physiological condition and gland reservoir fullness, the shape of the gland reservoirs and musculature determined that a similar effort at each spray event would mechanically meter out the release so that a greater amount was emitted when more was available in the reservoir. The average percentage of formic acid was established for these species as 34.2%, 73.5% and 34.1% for P. brunneomarginatus, P. ovipennis and C. ruficollis, respectively. The average quantities of formic acid released by individuals of these species was less than two-thirds the amount shown to be lethal to ants in previously published experiments. However, the total quantity from multiple spray events from a single individual could aggregate to quantities at or above the lethal level, and lesser quantities are known to act as ant alarm pheromones. Using a model, one directed spray of the formic acid and hydrocarbon mix could spread to an area of 5-8 cm diameter and persisted for 9-22 seconds at a threshold level known to induce alarm behaviors in ants. These results show that carabid defensive secretions may act as a potent and relatively prolonged defense against ants or similar predators even at a sub-lethal dose.
Defensive Secretions in Three Ground-Beetle Species (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae)
Annales Zoologici Fennici, 2014
The adults of three ground-beetle species were induced to discharge defensive secretions into vials. The secretions were obtained by CH 2 Cl 2 extraction. Altogether 11 compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis. Calosoma sycophanta possesses 10 defensive compounds, Carabus ullrichii seven, while Abax parallelepipedus has six compounds. Methacrylic, tiglic and isobutyric acids were present in all samples. The first two organic compounds were predominant in the extracts of Abax parallelepipedus. Methacrylic acid and salicylaldehyde were the major compounds in extracts of Calosoma sycophanta. Methacrylic and angelic acids were the major components in extracts of Carabus ullrichii. Propanoic acid was detected for the first time in the family Carabidae and in all animals. 2-Methyl butyric, angelic and benzoic acids were found for the first time in the subfamily Carabinae. Our finding of butyric acid is its first precise identification in the Carabinae subfamily. 2-Methyl butyric, angelic, crotonic, senecioic and benzoic acids were found for the first time in a European groundbeetle species. The compounds detected in the defensive secretions serve as protection against predators.
The chemical defence of Doryphorina beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 1992
The defensive secretions of adults of eight species of Doryphorina beetles have been analyzed. Four Leptinotarsa and one Labidomera species (L. trimaculata) produce amino acid derivatives, whereas two Calligrapha species produce cardiac glycosides. On the other hand, Zygogramma suturalis is so far unique in simultaneously producing cardiac glycosides and amino acid derivatives. The secretions of all species studied contain ethanolamine. Besides seven known compounds, (3Z)-2-aminohexa-3,5-dienoic acid and four new cardiac glycosides have been isolated and their structures determined by spectroscopic methods. The implications of these results for the taxonomy of the Chrysomelini are discussed, as well as the evolution of chemical defences in this group of beetles.
Distribution of Toxins in Chrysomeline Leaf Beetles: Possible Taxonimic Inferences
From a survey of the toxins produced by the pronotal and elytral defensive secretions in 114 chry- someline species (20 genera sensu Daccordi 1994), three major groups of species are recognized which are considered as natural supra-generic taxa. These ensembles, however, do not perfectiy fit existing classifications (e.g. Daccordi in Seeno and Wilcox 1982 or Daccordi 1994). Species secreting isoxazoH- none glucosides esterified by nitropropanoic acid are considered as Chrysomelina se/isu stricto which includes so far Chrysomek, Unaeidea, Plagiodera, Gastrophysa, Phaedon (including Hydrothassd), Prasocuris, Phaedonia and Phratora. This supra-generic taxon is supported by larval characters, i.e. serial defensive glands, and by mtDNA phylogeny. The co-occurrence of serial glands in larvae and the adult toxins is so constant that the existence of serial glands in larvae is enough to qualify beetles as members of this taxon (e.g. Mesoplatys or Gastrolina). However, Colaspidema is exclude...
Arthropods, 2015, Vol. 4, Iss. 1
Cover Pages [Front Pages (144K)] [Back Pages (58K)] Articles Perspectives on the use of Verbenone to protect pine seed production from attack by Conophthorus spp (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) Arthropods, 2015, 4(1): 1-12 Adolfo Arturo Del Rio Mora [Abstract] [XML] [EndNote] [RefManager] [BibTex] [ Full PDF (255K)] [Email Article] [Comment/Review Article] Determination of economic injury level for first and second generations of Pulvinaria aurantii (Hem: Coccidae) in Thomson navel orange orchards Arthropods, 2015, 4(1): 13-21 Nima Maleki, Mohammad Reza Damavandian [Abstract] [XML] [EndNote] [RefManager] [BibTex] [ Full PDF (130K)] [Email Article] [Comment/Review Article] Biochemical characterization of pectinase activity from the digestive midgut fluid of larvae and adult of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Col: Chrysomelidae) Arthropods, 2015, 4(1): 22-31 Razieh Karimi, Majid Kazzazi, Mohammad Vatanparast [Abstract] [XML] [EndNote] [RefManager] [BibTex] [ Full PDF (191K)] [Email Article] [Comment/Review Article]