Firefly ''femmes fatales'' acquire defensive steroids (lucibufagins) from their firefly prey

被引：85

作者：

Eisner, T ^{[1
]}

Goetz, MA ^{[1
]}

Hill, DE ^{[1
]}

Smedley, SR ^{[1
]}

Meinwald, J ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] CORNELL UNIV, DEPT CHEM, ITHACA, NY 14853 USA

来源：

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | 1997年 / 94卷 / 18期

关键词：

steroidal pyrones; Coleoptera: Lampyridae; Photuris; Photinus; Phidippus;

D O I：

10.1073/pnas.94.18.9723

中图分类号：

O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];

学科分类号：

07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;

摘要：

Female fireflies of the genus Photuris, the so-called firefly ''femmes fatales,'' prey on male fireflies of the genus Photinus. The females are able to entrap the males by faking the flash signal characteristics of the Photinus female. We found that by feeding on Photinus males, Photuris females gain more than nutrients. They also acquire defensive steroidal pyrones called lucibufagins, which are contained in Photinus but which Photuris fireflies are unable to produce on their own. Photuris females that eat Photinus males or lucibufagin are rejected by Phidippus jumping spiders. Lucibufagin itself proved to be a deterrent to such spiders. Field-collected Photuris females contain lucibufagin in varying amounts. The more lucibufagin they contain the more unacceptable they are to Phidippus.

引用

页码：9723 / 9728

页数：6

共 28 条

[1]

[Anonymous], 1989, SYSTAT SYSTEM STAT

[2] REFLEX BLEEDING IN LAMPYRID PHOTINUS-PYRALIS - DEFENSIVE FUNCTION [J].