Actinidine Secreting Rove Beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

Abstract

When rove beetles were attacked, special groups secreted defensive substances. The subfamily Staphilininae has a pair of pygidial tergite glands, which secreted actinidine alkaloid with several other compounds in the mixture. Beetles of the genus Cafius, Phucobius, and Philonthus secreted actinidine as a main component, more than 95% of the total secretion. Other beetles, Algon, Creophilus, Ontholestes, Staphylinus and Ocypus secreted actinidine as a minor component with other major components.