Chauliognathus lecontei

The cantharid beetle Chauliognathus lecontei defensively secretes from glands in its thorax and abdomen droplets of liquid containing as a major fraction 8-ds-decene-4,6-diynoic acid (or 8-cis-dihydromatricaria acid) (Meinwald et al., 1968). Ultraviolet and mass spectral data quickly led to the identification of the chromo-... 

Many fatty-acid-derived acetylenic compounds in plants are active in plant-insect relationships. 8-Z-Dihydromatrica-ria acid, found in the defensive secretion of the soldier beetle (Chauliognathus lecontei), has been shown subsequently to have antifeedant properties against Phidippus spp. (jumping spiders) (Eisner et al., 1981). Matricaria acid (5) also has antifeedant properties against the pink bollworm, bollworm, and tobacco homworm (Binder et al., 1979). 

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