title: Defense chemicals from abdominal glands of 13 rove beetle species of subtribe staphylinina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Staphylininae).
abstract: Forty-one volatile constituents have been characterized from the abdominal defensive glands of 13 Staphylinina rove beetle species (Staphylinidae). The major secretion component, a rapidly polymerizing iridoid dialdehyde (in most cases iridodial), is mainly accompanied by variable amounts of some iridoid lactones, traces of actinidine, some possible monoterpene precursors, short-chain ketones, cyclic compounds, and spiroacetals. The secretion mixtures even of single Staphylinina genera are very heterogenously composed of a variety of active substances with different structures. This situation may be a typical feature of iridoid defense systems based upon a primary fixative major compound and clearly differs from other chemical defense systems (for example the quinone system) which have a toxic main component.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Animal Ecology II, University Bayreuth, D-8580, Bayreuth, F.R.G..
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huth
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dettner