Wehrsubstanzen und wehrverhalten der termite Macrotermes carbonarius

Soldiers of the termite Macrotermes carbonarius which forage on the surface have a special defensive behaviour: they stab their sickle-shaped mandibles into the skin of the enemy and by crossing them they are irreversibly fixed. After this a brownish watery secretion from the huge labial glands is discharged by rhythmic contractions of the abdomen. The secretion was analysed by thin-layer chromatography and u.v.-spectroscopy. The main compound is toluquinone. A minor component is benzoquinone,