Journal
CHEMOECOLOGY
Volume 17, Issue 3, Pages 163-167Publisher
BIRKHAUSER VERLAG AG
DOI: 10.1007/s00049-007-0375-y
Keywords
quinones; benzaldehyde; defensive secretions; dung beetles; millipedes
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We report field and laboratory evidence indicating that the defensive compounds secreted by the millipedes Amplinus bitumidus (Diplopoda: Polydesmida) and Anadenobolus putealis (Diplopoda: Spirobolida) attract the carrion scarab Canthon morsei (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). In a Mexican tropical rain forest, C. morsei was mostly caught in pitfall traps baited with the carcasses of both millipede species. Only a few beetles were attracted to fish carrion. Experimental evidence indicates that C. morsei is attracted to freshly dead millipedes. Benzaldehyde and HCN were identified from Amplinus bitumidus; but 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (toluquinone) and 2-methoxy-3-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone from Anadenobolus putealis. Benzaldehyde attracted significantly more C. morsei individuals than fish meat, or millipedes of both species did after rinsing in hexane. This is the first report of Polydesmida attracting dung beetles.
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