Anti-predator defences of a bombardier beetle: is bombing essential for successful escape from frogs?

ABSTRACT: Some animals, such as the bombardier beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Brachinini), have evolved chemical defences against predators. When attacked, bombardier beetles can discharge noxious chemicals at temperatures of approximately 100 °C from the tip of their abdomens, "bombing" their attackers. Although many studies to date have investigated how bombardier beetles discharge defensive chemicals against predators, relatively little research has examined how predators modify their attacks on bombardier beetles to avoid being bombed. In this study, I observed the black-spotted pond frog Pelophylax nigromaculatus (Anura: Ranidae) attacking the bombardier beetle Pheropsophus jessoensis under laboratory conditions. In Japan, Pe. nigromaculatus is a generalist predator in gra

SUBMITTER: Sugiura S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6276596 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature