Alkyldimethylpyrazines in the Defensive Spray of Phyllium westwoodii: A First for Order Phasmatodea

Phyllium westwoodii is a phasmid insect (Order Phasmatodea) belonging to the Family Phylliidae (leaf insects). These rather large and ornate creatures are known for their morphological resemblance to plant leaves for camouflage. Pyrazines are a common class of compounds used or produced by a wide va...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical ecology 2009-08, Vol.35 (8), p.861-870
Main Authors: Dossey, Aaron T, Gottardo, Marco, Whitaker, John M, Roush, William R, Edison, Arthur S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Animal and plant ecology
Animal behavior
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Biochemistry
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Microscopy
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Camouflage
Chemical analysis
chemical composition
chemical defense
Chemical ecology
defensive behavior
defensive secretions
Ecology
Entomology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
glucose
Insecta - anatomy & histology
Insecta - physiology
Insects
Leaves
Life Sciences
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Phasmatodea
prothoracic glands
Protozoa. Invertebrata
pyrazines
Pyrazines - chemistry
Pyrazines - isolation & purification
Sprays
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Summary:Phyllium westwoodii is a phasmid insect (Order Phasmatodea) belonging to the Family Phylliidae (leaf insects). These rather large and ornate creatures are known for their morphological resemblance to plant leaves for camouflage. Pyrazines are a common class of compounds used or produced by a wide variety of organisms, even humans. When an individual of P. westwoodii is disturbed, it sprays an opaque liquid from a pair of prothoracic glands, which are utilized by other phasmid species for defense. The current study has found that this liquid contains glucose and a mixture of 3-isobutyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-methylbutyl)pyrazine, and 2,5-dimethyl-3-(3-methylbutyl)pyrazine. This is the first report of pyrazines found in the defensive gland spray of phasmid insects, and the first chemical analysis of glandular material from family Phylliidae.
ISSN:0098-0331
1573-1561
DOI:10.1007/s10886-009-9666-9