Ketones and alcohols in the defensive secretion of Leiobunum townsendi weed and a review of the known exocrine secretions of Palpatores (Arachnida:Opiliones)

Ekpa, Okon D.; Wheeler, J. W.; Cokendolpher, James C.; Duffield, R. M.

doi:10.1016/0305-0491(85)90365-7

Cited by 18 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Some Laniatores produce phenols (Acosta et al, 1993;Eisner et al, 1977;Duffield et al, 1981), and one other, the Uruguayan Parampheres ronae, produces a mixture of vinyl alkyl ketones (C. Rossini, unpublished observation). The members of the second principal suborder of the opilionids, the Palpatores, produce an array of volatile branched-chain alcohols, ketones and aldehydes Ekpa et al, 1985). The single species of this suborder known to produce a quinonoid product, secretes naphthoquinones rather than 1,4-benzoquinones (Wiemer et al, 1978).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical defense of an opilionid (Acanthopachylus aculeatus)

Eisner

Rossini

González

et al. 2004

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY The opilionid Acanthopachylus aculeatus was shown to produce a defensive secretion containing quinones (2,3-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone,2,5-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone and 2,3,5-trimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone),confirming the findings reported nearly a half century ago in a classic study. The mechanism by which the opilionid puts the secretion to use is described. When disturbed, the animal regurgitates enteric fluid, which it conveys by intercoxal clefts to the anterolateral corners of the carapace, where the two gland openings are situated. It then injects some of its quinonoid secretion into the fluid, and conveys the mixed liquid along the length of its flanks by way of two special channels. Such a discharge mechanism may be widespread among opilionids of the family Gonyleptidae (suborder Laniatores), to which A. aculeatus belongs. In a bioassay based on a scratch reflex in decapitated cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) the liquid effluent of A. aculeatus was shown to be potently irritating. Use of the effluent was demonstrated to protect the opilionid against ants (Formica exsectoides). Wolf spiders (Lycosa ceratiola) were shown to be minimally affected by the effluent (they showed little response when the fluid was added to their mouthparts as they fed on mealworms, their normal laboratory prey), although they proved to be aversive to mere contact with the opiliond itself, and to reject the animal without inducing it to discharge. A. aculeatus may therefore contain distasteful factors besides its glandular products.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical defense of an opilionid (Acanthopachylus aculeatus)

Eisner

Rossini

González

et al. 2004

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…As opilionids are an ancient group of arachnids with fossils known from the Lower Devonian (Dunlop et al., ), scent glands represent a well‐suited model for studying the evolution of exocrine secretion chemistry in a homologous gland system across hundreds of millions of years. So far, the secretion chemistry in all four opilionid suborders has been exemplarily investigated, revealing sets of naphthoquinones and methyl ketones in the Cyphophthalmi (Raspotnig et al., , ), naphthoquinones in phalangiid Eupnoi (Wiemer et al., ) and in Dyspnoi (Raspotnig et al., ), various acycles, including ethyl ketones in sclerosomatid Eupnoi (Ekpa et al., ), and volatile ketones in several Dyspnoi (Raspotnig et al., ). The chemically best‐studied group, however, is certainly the Laniatores, from which at least four major chemical classes of secretion components have been reported: (1) nitrogen‐containing compounds including various tobacco alkaloids from travunioid Insidiatores (Raspotnig et al., ), and an array of (2) alkylphenols, (3) benzoquinones and (4) vinyl‐ketones from the Grassatores (Roach et al., ; Duffield et al., ; Eisner et al., ; Hara et al., ; Wouters et al., ).…”

Section: Opilionid Scent‐gland Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemosystematics in the Opiliones (Arachnida): a comment on the evolutionary history of alkylphenols and benzoquinones in the scent gland secretions of Laniatores

Raspotnig¹,

Bodner

Schäffer

et al. 2014

Cladistics

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Large prosomal scent glands constitute a major synapomorphic character of the arachnid order Opiliones. These glands produce a variety of chemicals very specific to opilionid taxa of different taxonomic levels, and thus represent a model system to investigate the evolutionary traits in exocrine secretion chemistry across a phylogenetically old group of animals. The chemically best-studied opilionid group is certainly Laniatores, and currently available chemical data allow first hypotheses linking the phylogeny of this group to the evolution of major chemical classes of secretion chemistry. Such hypotheses are essential to decide upon a best-fitting explanation of the distribution of scent-gland secretion compounds across extant laniatorean taxa, and hence represent a key toward a well-founded opilionid chemosystematics.

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“…Raspotnig 2012 in Laniatores alkylated benzoquinones, phenolics, vinyl ketones, and small tobacco alkaloids (Raspotnig et al 2015). Additionally, other compounds known contain alkaline benzoquinones, quinones, phenols, naphthoquinone, anthraquinones, heptenones, hexenones, pentanones, vynil ketones, phenylethylamine and bornyl esters (Ekpa et al 1985, costa et al 1993, Hara et al 2005, Raspotnig 2012, Raspotnig et al 2010,b, 2015, Rocha et al 2011, Wouters et al 2013). Alkaloids, nicotinoid alkaloid anabaseine and nitrogen-containing components were found in basal groups of cladonychiid harvestmen (Laniatores), and thought to be the ancestral allomones in Laniatores.…”

Section: Chemicals Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical communication and ecology in Eupnoi harvestmen

Escalante

2019

Preprint

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Communication via chemical signals and cues is a widespread modality in animals. Producing, transmitting, receiving and processing chemical compounds impose important challenges. Nonetheless, certain arthropods rely almost exclusively on this channel for intra- and inter-specific communication. Through a preliminary literature review, I summarize here the morphological, behavioral and evolutionary implications of chemical communication in harvestmen (the arachnid order Opiliones), with particular emphasis in one group: the Eupnoi or “Daddy Long-legs”. This group has a unique secretory gland that opens in an ozopore in their dorsum. While relying mostly on short-range olfaction and contact chemoreception using different setae, some harvestmen are known to use chemicals in defense, alarm, spatial marking, recruitment, or reproduction. I then propose future research direction on the mechanisms of production and the evolutionary history of these traits. Specific questions can include (1) are chemical signals used as alarm pheromones in Eupnoi aggregations? (2) Do harvestmen rely on chemicals to mark their traditional roosting sites? If so, what are the chemicals involved and how do those differ from the ones used as alarm signals? Also, (3) what are the specific functions of the chemical communication during in female-male communication and multi-specific roosting aggregations? And (4) to what extent the use of chemical defenses imposes a trade-off with other defense mechanisms such as ‘playing dead’ or voluntarily releasing legs. Overall, these harvestmen provide a unique opportunity to test comprehensive and interdisciplinary hypotheses to understand the evolution of chemical communication, as well as the importance of chemical ecology on species diversification in arthropods.

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Ketones and alcohols in the defensive secretion of Leiobunum townsendi weed and a review of the known exocrine secretions of Palpatores (Arachnida:Opiliones)

Cited by 18 publications

References 10 publications

Chemical defense of an opilionid (Acanthopachylus aculeatus)

Chemical defense of an opilionid (Acanthopachylus aculeatus)

Chemosystematics in the Opiliones (Arachnida): a comment on the evolutionary history of alkylphenols and benzoquinones in the scent gland secretions of Laniatores

Chemical communication and ecology in Eupnoi harvestmen

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