IDENTIFICATION OF PTERIDINES IN THE FIREBUG, PYRRHOCORIS-APTERUS (L) (HETEROPTERA, PYRRHOCORIDAE) BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

Pteridines in the wild type of Pyrrhocoris apterus were investigated b y high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Five different pterid ines were identified: neopterin, biopterin, isoxantholumazine (violapt erin), isoxanthopterin, and 7-methylxanthopterin. Biopterin and neopte rin have been found in P. apterus for the first time. No qualitative o r quantitative differences were observed between pteridine patterns in males and females. The present paper represents the first identificat ion and quantification of P. apterus pteridines using HPLC.