Chemical composition of the defensive secretion in carabid beetles and its importance as a taxonomic character

Abstract

SYNOPSIS The defensive secretions of 52 species of Australian and New Caledonian Carabidae, representing 34 genera and 15 subfamilies, have been analysed by thin‐layer and gas chromatographic techniques. The new information, together with all comparable data available from the literature, is used to test the value of composition of the defensive secretion as a taxonomic character, and the findings are compared with those previously derived from purely morphological studies.