FEEDING OF XENOBIOTIC OMEGA-PHENYLALKANOIC ACIDS REMARKABLY CHANGES THE CHEMISTRY AND TOXICITY OF THE DEFENSIVE SECRETION OF OXYTELUS-SCULPTURATUS GRAV (COLEOPTERA, STAPHYLINIDAE, OXYTELINAE)

Feeding experiments with 12-phenyl[2,2-H-2(2)]dodecanoic acid and the corresponding methylester resulted in the formation of 2-phenylethanol (probably produced via beta-oxidation) and high amounts of 2-phenylet hylesters of free fatty acids from the defensive secretion of Oxytelus sculpturatus rove beetles. The extraordinarily high amount of the met abolites occurring in the glands after administration of methyl-12-phe nyl[2,2-H-2(2)]dodecanoate had a significant effect on the toxicity of the toluquinone-saturated defensive secretion mixture. Analogous expe riments with 11-phenyl-[H-2(2)] undecanoic acid revealed a less effici ent incorporation of this precursor leading to esters of 1-phenylethan ol and 4-phenylbutan-2-ol and traces of 10-phenyl-1-decene probably fo rmed via oxidative decarboxylation.