Wehrsubstanzen und Wehrverhalten der Termite Macrotermes carbonarius
Burkhardt, D.
Journal Insect Physiol 8(9): 1715-1720
1972
DOI: 10.1016/0022-1910(72)90101-1
Accession: 024129949
Soldiers of the termite Macrotermes carbonarius which forage on the surface have a special defensive behaviour: they stab their sickle-shaped mandibles into the skin of the enemy and by crossing them they are irreversibly fixed. After this a brownish watery secretion from the huge labial glands is discharged by rhythmic contractions of the abdomen. The secretion was analysed by thin-layer chromatography and u.v.-spectroscopy. The main compound is toluquinone. A minor component is benzoquinone,