PMID: 9192644Jun 24, 1997Paper

Defensive production of formic acid (80%) by a carabid beetle (Galerita lecontei)

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
C RossiniT Eisner

Abstract

The carabid beetle Galerita lecontei has a pair of abdominal defensive glands that secrete a mixture of formic acid, acetic acid, and lipophilic components (long-chain hydrocarbons and esters). Formic acid, at the concentration of 80%, is the principal constituent. The beetle ejects the secretion as a spray, which it aims accurately toward parts of the body subjected to assault. At full capacity, the glands store 4.5 mg of formic acid (3% of body mass), enough for upward of six ejections. The beetle reloads the glands at a rate of 126 microg of formic acid per day. For the approximately 500 secretory cells of the glands, this means an hourly output of 10 ng of formic acid per cell, or about 5% of cell volume. Replenishing empty glands to their full formic acid load takes the beetle an estimated 37 days. Replenishing the 0.7 mg of formic acid expended in a single discharge takes 5.5 days.

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Citations

Oct 16, 2003·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Toxicology & Pharmacology : CBP·V S Haritos, G Dojchinov
Aug 18, 1999·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·T Eisner, D J Aneshansley
Feb 1, 2007·Journal of Chemical Ecology·Jian-Xu ZhangMilos Novotny
Aug 18, 2009·Journal of Chemical Ecology·Aaron T DosseyArthur S Edison
Dec 25, 2015·Journal of Economic Entomology·Cai Wang, Gregg Henderson
Dec 3, 2014·Journal of Insect Physiology·Florencia PalottiniGabriel Manrique
Sep 4, 2015·PloS One·Taís M Nazareth, Glauco Machado
Feb 26, 2005·Journal of Morphology·Kipling W WillJosé Galián
Jun 8, 2012·Pest Management Science·Jian ChenGuolei Feng
Aug 2, 2018·Journal of Chemical Ecology·Jeffrey A HarveyJacintha Ellers
Oct 23, 2020·Frontiers in Veterinary Science·Steven C RickeKurt E Richardson

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