Chemical defense in the cave-dwelling millipede Brachydesmus troglobius Daday, 1889 (Diplopoda, Polydesmidae)

Abstract

Makarov S. E., Vujisic L.V., Curcic B.P.M., Ilic B.S., Tesevic V.V., Vajs V.E., Vuckovic I.M., Mitic B. M., Lucic L.R. and Dordevic I.Z. 2012. Chemical defense in the cave-dwelling millipede Brachydesmus troglobius Daday, 1889 (Diplopoda, Polydesmidae). International Journal of Speleology, 41(1), 95-100. Tampa, FL (USA). ISSN 0392-6672. http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.41.1.10 The troglomorphic millipede Brachydesmus troglobius Daday, 1889 (Polydesmida: Polydesmidae) secretes allomones from glands on both lateral surfaces of its body segments. The secretion was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis with electron and chemical ionization, and was shown to be composed of a mixture of benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzoylnitrile, benzoic acid and mandelonitrile benzoate. Hydrogen cyanide was qualitatively identified by the picric acid test. This is the first identification of these compounds in a cave-dwelling polydesmid.