Institute of Animal Ecology II, University of Bayreuth, D-95440, Bayreuth, Germany.
J Chem Ecol. 1996 May;22(5):1051-74. doi: 10.1007/BF02029954.
The giant springtail,Tetrodontophora bielanensis (Waga), is characterized by integumental openings (pseudocells) from which small droplets of a sticky defensive fluid are secreted after molestation. The secretion originates initially from secretory cells below the pseudocellae; subsequent irritations result in release of hemolymph, which was identified by both chemical and microscopical methods as well as by scanning electron microscopy. Bioassays with topically treated ground beetlesNebria brevicollis showed that the pseudocellular fluid evokes a total disorientation and cleansing behavior of the beetle. The main constituents were identified as the following pyridopyrazines: 2,3-dimethoxpyrido[2,3-b]pyrazine (1), 3-isopropyl-2-methoxypyrido[2,3-b]pyrazine (2), and 2-methoxy-4H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazine-3-one (3). These alkaloids are mainly present in the pseudocellar fluids of female and male springtails but are absent in their food or feces. Minor amounts are found in the hemolymph of adults, while larvae contain traces of2 only. All compounds were synthesized and tested for activity. In natural concentrations, the synthetic alkaloids elicited the same effects from the ground beetles as the pseudocellar fluid.
巨型跳虫，Tetrodontophora bielanensis (Waga)，其特征是表皮开口（伪细胞），在受到骚扰后会从这些开口分泌出小滴粘性防御液。分泌物最初来自伪细胞下方的分泌细胞；随后的刺激会导致血淋巴的释放，这一点通过化学和显微镜方法以及扫描电子显微镜得到了证实。用局部处理过的步甲Nebria brevicollis 进行的生物测定表明，伪细胞液会引起甲虫的完全迷失方向和清洁行为。主要成分被鉴定为以下吡啶并吡嗪：2,3-二甲氧基吡啶并[2,3-b]吡嗪（1）、3-异丙基-2-甲氧基吡啶并[2,3-b]吡嗪（2）和 2-甲氧基-4H-吡啶并[2,3-b]吡嗪-3-酮（3）。这些生物碱主要存在于雌性和雄性跳虫的伪细胞液中，但不存在于它们的食物或粪便中。在成虫的血淋巴中发现少量的 2，而幼虫中仅含有痕迹的 2。所有化合物均进行了合成和活性测试。在天然浓度下，合成生物碱会对步甲产生与伪细胞液相同的作用。
