On the enigmatic scent glands of dyspnoan harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones): first evidence for the production of volatile secretions
While considerable knowledge on the chemistry of the scent gland secretions from the opilionid suborders Laniatores and Cyphophthalmi has been compiled, it is the Palpatores (Eupnoi and Dyspnoi) where chemical data are scarce. In particular, the Dyspnoi have remained nearly unstudied, mainly due to...
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Published in | Chemoecology Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 43 - 55 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Basel
Springer Basel
2014
|
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | While considerable knowledge on the chemistry of the scent gland secretions from the opilionid suborders Laniatores and Cyphophthalmi has been compiled, it is the Palpatores (Eupnoi and Dyspnoi) where chemical data are scarce. In particular, the Dyspnoi have remained nearly unstudied, mainly due to their reported general reluctance to release secretions as well as to the phenomenon of production of insoluble—and inaccessible—solid secretion. We here show that at least certain nemastomatid Dyspnoi, namely all three species of genus
Carinostoma
, indeed produce a volatile secretion, comprising octan-3-one, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one and acetophenone in species-specific combinations. In all
Carinostoma
spp., these volatiles are embedded in a semi-volatile, naphthoquinone matrix (mainly 1,4-naphthoquinone and 6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone). In detail, acetophenone and traces of naphthoquinones characterize the secretions of
Carinostoma carinatum
. A mixture of octan-3-one, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one and large amounts of naphthoquinones were found in
C. elegans
, and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one together with small amounts of naphthoquinones in the secretions of
C. ornatum
. So far, exclusively naphthoquinones had been reported from a single dyspnoan hitherto studied,
Paranemastoma quadripunctatum
. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 Handling Editor: Michael Heethoff. |
ISSN: | 0937-7409 1423-0445 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00049-014-0146-5 |