Abstract
A rapid, sensitive, stable, and quantitative high-pressure liquid chromatographic technique was developed for the analysis of defensive secretions obtained from the pygidial and prothoracic glands of dytiscids. Methods were developed for both normal phase (μPorasil) and reverse phase (μBondapak C18) columns. The applicability of this technique was demonstrated when defensive compounds ofAcilius semiculcatus, A. sylvanus andA. mediatus were isolated, identified, and quantitated. No major differences were found in the composition of the defensive secretions between the three species. The seasonal defensive titer ofA. semisulcatus was determined from June through October 1977. The pygidial defensive agents (benzoic acid,p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and methylp-hydroxybenzoate varied from 9.0 to 67.8 μg and exhibited a maximum in July, and a steroid from the prothoracic gland varied from 7.1 to 33.2 μg and was maximum in October.
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Newhart, A.T., Mumma, R.O. Defensive secretions of three species ofAcilius (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) and their seasonal variations as determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. J Chem Ecol 5, 643–652 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986549
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986549