Major Defensive Cyanogen from Parafontaria laminata armigera VERHOEFF (Xystodesmidae: Polydesmida)

Abstract

Analysis of the dichloromethane extract of Parafontaria laminata armigera VERHOEFF (Xystodesmidae) revealed five components as possible defensive substances. The chemicals were identified as benzaldehyde, mandelonitrile, benzoyl cyanide, mandelonitrile benzoate and benzoic acid, among which mandelonitrile was the major constituent (ca. 83% of the total, on second major compound (ca. 16% of the total, on average). Quantities of each component differed between sexes. Males contained twice as much of these defensive compounds as females did, in spite of being smaller.