TY - JOUR
T1 - Chemical defense of a primitive Australian bombardier beetle (Carabidae):Mystropomus regularis
AU - Eisner, Thomas
AU - Attygalle, Athula B.
AU - Eisner, Maria
AU - Aneshansley, Daniel J.
AU - Meinwald, Jerrold
PY - 1991/12
Y1 - 1991/12
N2 - The Australian bombardier beetle, Mystropomus regularis, sprays a mixture of quinones (1,4-benzoquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone, 2-ethyl-1,4-benzoquinone) and hydrocarbons (principally n-pentadecane). The defensive fluid ist generated explosively in two-chambered glands, and is ejected audibly and hot (maximal recorded temperature = 59°C). Mystropomus is a member of the paussoid lineage of bombardiers. In common with other members of the group, it has a pair of elytral flanges (flanges of Coanda), associated with the gland openings, that serve as launching guides for anteriorly-aimed ejections of spray. It is argued that Mystropomus may be the least derived of flanged paussoids, and the closest living relative of the most primitive of extant bombardiers (Metriini).
AB - The Australian bombardier beetle, Mystropomus regularis, sprays a mixture of quinones (1,4-benzoquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone, 2-ethyl-1,4-benzoquinone) and hydrocarbons (principally n-pentadecane). The defensive fluid ist generated explosively in two-chambered glands, and is ejected audibly and hot (maximal recorded temperature = 59°C). Mystropomus is a member of the paussoid lineage of bombardiers. In common with other members of the group, it has a pair of elytral flanges (flanges of Coanda), associated with the gland openings, that serve as launching guides for anteriorly-aimed ejections of spray. It is argued that Mystropomus may be the least derived of flanged paussoids, and the closest living relative of the most primitive of extant bombardiers (Metriini).
KW - Carabidae
KW - Coleoptera
KW - Paussinae
KW - benzoquinones
KW - bombardier beetle
KW - defensive secretion
KW - elytral flanges
KW - evolution
KW - hot secretion
KW - hydrocarbons
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0007474880&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1007/BF01240663
DO - 10.1007/BF01240663
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0007474880
SN - 0937-7409
VL - 2
SP - 29
EP - 34
JO - Chemoecology
JF - Chemoecology
IS - 1
ER -