Mayolenes: labile defensive lipids from the glandular hairs of a caterpillar (Pieris rapae).
Larvae of the European cabbage butterfly, Pieris rapae (Pieridae), are beset with glandular hairs, bearing droplets of a clear oily secretion at their tip. The fluid consists primarily of a series of chemically labile, unsaturated lipids, the mayolenes, which are derived from 11-hydroxylinolenic acid. In bioassays with the ant Crematogaster lineolata, the secretion was shown to be potently deterrent, indicating that the fluid plays a defensive role in nature.
Smedley
Scott R
SR
Department of Biology, Trinity College, Hartford, CT 06106, USA.
Schroeder
Frank C
FC
Weibel
Douglas B
DB
Meinwald
Jerrold
J
Lafleur
Katie A
KA
Renwick
J Alan
JA
Rutowski
Ronald
R
Eisner
Thomas
T
D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants; D001681:Biological Assay; D002080:Butterflies / Q000737:chemistry*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000032:analysis*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D013712:Tenebrio
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D007302:Insect Repellents; C456541:mayolene