Mechanistic origins of bombardier beetle (Brachinini) explosion-induced defensive spray pulsation

Bombardier beetles (Brachinini) use a rapid series of discrete explosions inside their pygidial gland reaction chambers to produce a hot, pulsed, quinone-based defensive spray. The mechanism of brachinines' spray pulsation was explored using anatomical studies and direct observation of explosio...

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Published inScience (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 348; no. 6234; pp. 563 - 567
Main Authors Arndt, Eric M., Moore, Wendy, Lee, Wah-Keat, Ortiz, Christine
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Washington American Association for the Advancement of Science 01.05.2015
The American Association for the Advancement of Science
Subjects
Animal behavior
Beetles
Chambers
Chemical reactions
Chemistry
Chemosensory perception
Explosions
Insects
Predation
Predators
Pulsation
Sprayers
Sprays
Synchrotrons
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Summary:Bombardier beetles (Brachinini) use a rapid series of discrete explosions inside their pygidial gland reaction chambers to produce a hot, pulsed, quinone-based defensive spray. The mechanism of brachinines' spray pulsation was explored using anatomical studies and direct observation of explosions inside living beetles using synchrotron x-ray imaging. Quantification of the dynamics of vapor inside the reaction chamber indicates that spray pulsation is controlled by specialized, contiguous cuticular structures located at the junction between the reservoir (reactant) and reaction chambers. Kinematics models suggest passive mediation of spray pulsation by mechanical feedback from the explosion, causing displacement of these structures.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1261166