POISONS, SPRAYS, AND GLUES

摘要

Where as the general public is keenly aware of very obvious chemical defenses such as the venomous stings and bites of insects and related creatures, even many biologists are unaware of the full arsenal of defenses that insects and other arthropods use for protection from predation or parasitism. These defenses can assume a wide variety of forms, from passive defenses such as maintaining toxic compounds in the blood (or on the cuticle) to active defenses such as noxious stews of chemicals that are sprayed or wiped onto attackers. The origins of defensive compounds also vary widely, with some being sequestered or derived from host plants, whereas others are probably synthesized de novo. Overall, the literature on chemical defenses in arthropods is rather scattered, and so a single volume that presents a broad overview of the subject is long overdue. No one is better equipped for the task of assembling such a volume than Thomas Eisner, J. G. Schurman Professor of Chemical Ecology at Cornell University and one of the true pioneers in the field. He and his wife, Maria Eisner, along with neurobiologist Melody Siegler of Emory University, have produced a highly readable, entertaining, and lavishly illustrated book that presents a nice general summary of the subject.