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Diet-based defensive secretions in harvestmen

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Date Issued:
2007
Summary:
Harvestmen are known to secrete a wide range of defensive chemicals in order to protect themselves from predators. An earlier study examined the phylogenetic pattern of defensive secretions produced by 22 species of harvestmen. This research, however, assumed that there is a genetic link between the defensive secretions. I wished to determine whether harvestmen defensive secretions may be diet-based by introducing several irritants into their food and then testing their secretions in the same manner. I performed a GC-MS analysis on 13 samples from the Vonones sp. But I found no initial GC-MS readings that showed this species of harvestmen to contain any irritants in their secretions. The absence of irritants does not allow any evaluation of whether harvestmen secretions are genetically or dietarily based.
Title: Diet-based defensive secretions in harvestmen.
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Name(s): Whitaker, Graham.
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Thesis
Issuance: multipart monograph
Date Issued: 2007
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: electronic
electronic resource
Extent: vi, 10 leaves : ill. (some col.).
Language(s): English
Summary: Harvestmen are known to secrete a wide range of defensive chemicals in order to protect themselves from predators. An earlier study examined the phylogenetic pattern of defensive secretions produced by 22 species of harvestmen. This research, however, assumed that there is a genetic link between the defensive secretions. I wished to determine whether harvestmen defensive secretions may be diet-based by introducing several irritants into their food and then testing their secretions in the same manner. I performed a GC-MS analysis on 13 samples from the Vonones sp. But I found no initial GC-MS readings that showed this species of harvestmen to contain any irritants in their secretions. The absence of irritants does not allow any evaluation of whether harvestmen secretions are genetically or dietarily based.
Identifier: 314766085 (oclc), 11596 (digitool), FADT11596 (IID), fau:1328 (fedora)
Note(s): by Graham Whitaker.
Thesis (B.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, Honors College, 2007.
Bibliography: leaf 10.
Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2007. Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Subject(s): Opiliones -- Identification
Arachnida -- Physiology
Predation (Biology)
Held by: FBoU FAUER
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11596
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Host Institution: FAU

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