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Chemistry of the defensive secretion of the caddisflyPycnopsyche scabripennis (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae)

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Abstract

From a pair of exocrine glands located on the fifth abdominal sternite, the caddisflyPycnopsyche scabripennis secretes a defensive exudate which containsp-cresol, indole, and skatole. This secretion effectively repels invertebrate predators such as ants. The probable significance of this secretion in the biology of these caddisflies is discussed.

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Duffield, R.M., Blum, M.S., Wallace, J.B. et al. Chemistry of the defensive secretion of the caddisflyPycnopsyche scabripennis (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae). J Chem Ecol 3, 649–656 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988064

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988064

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