Defense or Offense

There is much more to be said about carboxylic acids and life and it is worth pausing here for a bit to do some exploring. To be specific, 1 want to provide a conple of examples of the nse of carboxylic acids for pnrposes of defense or offense among the insects. 

The vast majority of formicid species use chemical secretions for defensive purposes. However, within many groups of ants, the proteinaceous venom typical of other Hymenoptera has been superceded by mixtures of structurally simpler organic compounds, and in many cases a communicative function has been added to the defensive or offensive properties. In this section we will concentrate upon the role of alarm communication within colonies, and leave intercolony and interspecies effects aside. However, it must be pointed out that... 

Many of the compounds from insects considered here are pheromones (Greek, phero = carry or convey), defensive or offensive substances (allomones, Greek, alios = other), or hormones (Greek, hormao = excite or impel). Pheromones can be considered as chemical communication between individuals of the species, while hormones are chemical communication within the individual. In evolutionary terms, it has been... 

Although the analysis dates from the 1940s, the final ALSOS mission report is still a useful case study today, in that it illustrates an analysis of whether a country s BW activities are defensive or offensive. This is a crucial distinction, because if BW activities are assessed as defensive, the program is permitted under current international law as embodied in the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), but if the activities are assessed as offensive, the program is prohibited by the BTWC. 

The formacine ants possess a formic acid gland from which they may eject a spray of concentrated formic acid. Eisner refers to a formacine ant as a spray gun on legs. The formic acid spray may be employed either defensively to ward off predators or offensively to incapacitate prey. 

Seeking a credit for a purported economic benefit from early death is akin to robbing the graves of Mississippi smokers who died from tobacco-related illness. No court of law or equity should entertain such a defense or counterclaim. It is offensive to human decency, an affront to justice, uncharacteristic of civilized society, and unquestionably contrary to public policy. 

TOXINS are taken here to be substances that have a deleterious action on another organism, and archetypal toxins were originally of natural origin. This classification is necessarily somewhat discretionary, and toxins with a predominant action on neurons are grouped under another heading see NEUROTOXINS. Toxins may be used defensively (bitter and poisonous alkaloids in skin or leaves), or offensively (venoms injected or administered to the prey by means of specialized apparatus), or are the proteolytic enzymes elaborated by infecting parasites. Some typical or... 

Anti-organism power multipliers are based on technologies designed to harm humans, farm animals, or cultivars, whether during offensive, defensive, or calm situations. Although the new generation of these power multipliers is characterized by nonlethal (or sublethal) weaponry, some of them are distinctively lethal. 

Animal toxins are roughly divided into venoms and poisons. Venoms are offensive, used in the quest for food. Snakes produce toxins that can immobilize or kill prey for food. The venom of spiders paralyzes insects to allow the spider to feed on the victim s body fluids. While the venoms may also be used defensively, their primary purpose is in the quest for food. Most venom is delivered from the mouth, as in snakes and spiders, but there are exceptions like the scorpion that uses its tail. 

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