Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0245, USA.
J Chem Ecol. 2009 Aug;35(8):861-70. doi: 10.1007/s10886-009-9666-9. Epub 2009 Aug 15.
Phyllium westwoodii is a phasmid insect (Order Phasmatodea) belonging to the Family Phylliidae (leaf insects). These rather large and ornate creatures are known for their morphological resemblance to plant leaves for camouflage. Pyrazines are a common class of compounds used or produced by a wide variety of organisms, even humans. When an individual of P. westwoodii is disturbed, it sprays an opaque liquid from a pair of prothoracic glands, which are utilized by other phasmid species for defense. The current study has found that this liquid contains glucose and a mixture of 3-isobutyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-methylbutyl)pyrazine, and 2,5-dimethyl-3-(3-methylbutyl)pyrazine. This is the first report of pyrazines found in the defensive gland spray of phasmid insects, and the first chemical analysis of glandular material from family Phylliidae.
西美腊蝉 Phyllium westwoodii 是一种直翅目昆虫（Phasmatodea 目），属于叶蝉科（Phylliidae）（叶蝉科）。这些相当大而华丽的生物以其与植物叶子相似的形态而闻名，用于伪装。吡嗪是一类常见的化合物，广泛存在于各种生物体中，甚至包括人类。当西美腊蝉受到干扰时，它会从一对前胸腺中喷出一种不透明的液体，其他直翅目昆虫也会利用这种液体进行防御。本研究发现，这种液体含有葡萄糖和 3-异丁基-2,5-二甲基吡嗪、2,5-二甲基-3-(2-甲基丁基)吡嗪和 2,5-二甲基-3-(3-甲基丁基)吡嗪的混合物。这是首次在直翅目昆虫的防御腺喷雾中发现吡嗪，也是首次对叶蝉科腺体物质进行化学分析。
