Benzoquinones and hydroquinones in defensive secretions of tropical millipedes.
The defensive secretions of two tropical species of millipedes (the spirostreptid Telodeinopus aoutii and a species of Harpagophoridae) contain a complex mixture of closely related benzoquinones and hydroquinones. The major compounds are toluquinone and 2-methoxy-3-methylbenzoquinone, accompanied by the minor components, 2,3-dimethoxybenzoquinone and toluhydroquinone. Because of the large size and the geographic separation of the test animals a common defensive strategy of tropical, large millipedes against predation by vertebrates is assumed.
Deml
R
R
Lehrstuhl für Tierökologie II, Universität Bayreuth, Postfach 101251, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
Huth
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000502:physiology*; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006873:Hydroquinones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014714:Vertebrates
D016227:Benzoquinones; D006873:Hydroquinones