Secretion of Benzaldehyde and Hydrogen Cyanide by the Millipede <i>Pachydesmus crassicutis</i> (Wood))

Abstract

The millipede Pachydesmus crassicutis (Wood) secretes a mixture of benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide when it is disturbed. These compounds are secreted through paired glands located on 11 of the notal projections of adult millipedes. Experiments with the imported fire ant demonstrate that these natural products serve a defensive function.