A new troglobiotic species, Dazbogosoma mokoshae sp. nov., is described from a cave in the eastern Serbia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCovariation of multiple morphological traits and modularity have been widely studied in the field of evolutionary developmental biology. Subunits of a morphological structure can evolve separately from each other in a modular fashion. The aims of our study therefore were: i) to test the hypothesis of modularity in the dorsal part of the head capsule and the gnathochilarium separately during late postembryogenesis in the julidan millipede Megaphyllum unilineatum (C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHere we describe a new monotypic glomerid genus, Macedomeris gen. nov., with Macedomeris ivoi sp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHere we describe in detail the late post-embryonic development of the common European scolopendromorph centipede Cryptops parisi. Canonical variate analyses of two groups of external morphological characters, viz., cephalic capsule characters (head length, length of the anterior and posterior paramedian cephalic sutures) and coxopleuron surface characters (number of pores in the coxal pore-field, number of setae on the posterior coxopleuron edge, their number on the coxal pore-field, and their number posterior to the coxal pore-field) were conducted on a large sample of specimens collected from two localities in Serbia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUntil now, morphological trait variation has been investigated in several millipede species using geometric morphometrics. The present study is the first attempt to explore sexual shape and size dimorphism (SShD and SSD) of morphological structures in Polydesmida. We here analyse antennal, head, and leg SShD and SSD in Daday, 1889.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGeophilus serbicus sp. nov., a new epigeic centipede species, is described and illustrated based on specimens collected from the Stara Planina Mountains (the Balkan Mountain Range), Eastern Serbia, Balkan Peninsula.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMillipedes use an array of chemical compounds to defend themselves from predator attack. These chemical substances can have additional roles, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
September 2019
Members of the millipede order Julida rely on dominantly quinonic defensive secretions with several minor, non-quinonic components. The free radical-scavenging activities of ethanol, methanol, hexane, and dichloromethane extracts of defensive secretions emitted by Pachyiulus hungaricus (Karsch, 1881) and Megaphyllum unilineatum (C. L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA review of the genus Typhloiulus Latzel, 1884 (Julida: Julidae) in the Dinaric region is given. Previously published and new faunistic records are provided for each species, together with notes for some of them. Four new species are described: T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe defensive secretion of the julid diplopod contains methyl -methylanthranilate (MNMA), an ester of -methylanthranilic acid that comprises more than 99% of secretion of this species. MNMA is accompanied by small amounts of methyl anthranilate and two benzoquinones (2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone and 2-ethyl-1,4-benzoquinone, respectively). MNMA is a known intermediate in the biosynthesis of both benzoquinones (as present in defensive secretions of juliformians) and glomerin-like quinazolines (chemical defense in Glomerida).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCave animals live under highly constant ecological conditions and in permanent darkness, and many evolutionary adaptations of cave-dwellers have been triggered by their specific environment. A similar "cave effect" leading to pronounced chemical interactions under such conditions may be assumed, but the chemoecology of troglobionts is mostly unknown. We investigated the defensive chemistry of a largely cave-dwelling julid group, the controversial tribe "Typhloiulini", and we included some cave-dwelling and some endogean representatives.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFifteen new genera and 36 new species of the diplopod family Anthroleucosomatidae Verhoeff, 1899 are described from the Caucasus, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots: Golovatchosoma bacillichaetum gen. et sp. nov.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe defensive chemistry of juliformian millipedes is characterized mainly by benzoquinones ("quinone millipedes"), whereas the secretions of the putative close outgroup Callipodida are considered to be exclusively phenolic. We conducted a chemical screening of julid secretions for phenolic content. Most species from tribes Cylindroiulini (15 species examined), Brachyiulini (5 species examined), Leptoiulini (15 species examined), Uncigerini (2 species examined), Pachyiulini (3 species examined), and Ommatoiulini (2 species examined) had non-phenolic, in most cases exclusively benzoquinonic secretions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChem Biodivers
February 2016
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in Drosophila melanogaster represent the basis of chemical communication being involved in many important biological functions. The aim of this study was to characterize chemical composition and variation of cuticular profiles in five D. melanogaster strains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThree adult cave-dwelling ground beetle species were induced to discharge secretions of their pygidial glands into vials. Dichloromethane extraction was used to obtain the secretions. In total, 42 compounds were identified by GC/MS analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThree new species of the family Anthogonidae are described from caves in Croatia and Montenegro, respectively: Egonpretneria vudutschajldi Antić & Dražina sp. n., Haasia jalzici Antić & Dražina sp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA new species of Heterolatzelia Verhoeff, 1897, H. karlstrasseri sp. n.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThree new monotypic genera are described from underground habitats in Croatia: Balkanodesmus biokovensis gen. n., sp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe defensive secretions of two blaniulid millipedes, Nopoiulus kochii and Cibiniulus phlepsii, were characterized by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses, which showed the presence of a complex mixture of benzoquinones, hydroquinones, and oleates. Altogether, 13 compounds were identified. The major compound in the secretions of both analyzed species was 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (toluquinone).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe geophilomorph centipede, Himantarium gabrielis, when disturbed, discharges a viscous and proteinaceous secretion from the sternal glands. This exudate was found by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry and NMR analyses to be composed of hydrogen cyanide, benzaldehyde, benzoyl nitrile, benzyl nitrile, mandelonitrile, mandelonitrile benzoate, 3,7,6O-trimethylguanine (himantarine), farnesyl 2,3-dihydrofarnesoate and farnesyl farnesoate. This is the first report on the presence of benzyl nitrile and mandelonitrile benzoate in secreted substances from centipedes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFApatura ilia (Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775) and A. iris (Linnaeus, 1758) are fascinating butterflies found in the Palaearctic ecozone (excepting the north of Africa). The wings of these insects are covered with a great number of two types of scales positioned like roof tiles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThree European julid species, Cylindroiulus boleti, Leptoiulus trilineatus, and Megaphyllum bosniense, secrete mixtures of up to 12 different quinones. The major components in these species are 2-methoxy-3-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone. 2-Methoxy-5-methylhydroquinone is detected for the first time in the Class Diplopoda.
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