Investigation of the strikingly aposematic Leichhardt's grasshopper revealed a number of host-plant-derived components. Chemical study of the three known host plants revealed a diverse array of components. Pityrodia ternifolia and P. pungens contain predominantly sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene glycosides and P. jamesii is rich in cineole, dihydrochalcones, chalcones, and monoterpene glycosides. Feces from grasshoppers feeding on P. jamesii contain a mixture of hydroxycineoles, of which 3α-hydroxycineole is the predominant isomer (68%). No evidence for previously suspected "alkaloidal" toxins was found in either the insect or host plant.
sesquiterpene glycoside, dihydrochalcone, Leichhardt's grasshopper, Petasida ephippigera, Pityrodia jamesii, Pityrodia ternifolia, Pityrodia pungens, hydroxycineole, chalcone, aposematic
Publication DOI: 10.1023/A:1005518625764Journal NLM ID: 7505563Publisher: Springer
Correspondence: kitching@chemistry.uq.edu.au
Institutions: Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany, Department of Chemistry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology, Winnellie, Australia
Methods: 13C NMR, 1H NMR, EI-MS, NMR-2D, GC-MS, biological assays, extraction, CC, melting point determination, HR-ESI-MS, derivatization, evaporation, HR-EI-MS
Found