MORPHOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF MESOTHORACIC GLANDS IN ANTHICID BEETLES (COLEOPTERA, ANTHICIDAE)

The morphology of mesothoracic glands and the chemical analysis of the glandular secretions is presented for the anthicid species Formicomus pedestris Rossi 1790 F gestroi Pic 1894, F rubricollis La Ferte 1848 and Microhoria terminata Schmidt 1842. Main constituents of the mesoth oracic gland secretion of the Formicomus species are iridoids like iri domyrmecin, dihydronepetalacton and iridodial. Also a number of hither to unknown iridoids are characterized. Bioassays with the secretion of the mesothoracic glands of Formicomus pedestris show, that the substa nces act as repellents against tested ants. Finally the role of the to xic terpenanhydrid cantharidin in the biology of the investigated four canthariphilous species is discussed.