Orange/lemon-scented beetles: Opposite enantiomers of limonene as major constituents in the defensive secretion of related carabids

Athula B. Attygalle, Xiaogang Wu, David R. Maddison, Kipling W. Will

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

The major constituent in the pygidial gland defensive fluid of the carabid beetle Ardistomis schaumii is (R)-(+)-limonene, whereas that of Semiardistomis puncticollis is (S)-(-)-limonene. This was an unanticipated result, since it is not very common to find the opposite enantiomers of the same compound among the secondary metabolites of related species. Moreover, the glandular liquid of A. schaumii contains 1,8-cineole, and that of S. puncticollis has β-pinene, β-phellandrene, sabinene, and p-cymene. Of about 500 carabid species that have been chemically investigated, this is the first report of the presence of such complex mixtures of monoterpenes in their defensive secretions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1443-1449
Number of pages7
JournalScience of Nature
Volume96
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2009

Keywords

  • Ardistomis schaumii
  • Carabid beetle
  • Limonene
  • P-cymene
  • Semiardistomis puncticollis
  • Terpenes
  • β-pinene

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