Chemical studies on Indopacific Ceratosoma nudibranchs illuminate the protective role of their dorsal horn

Mollo, Ernesto; Gavagnin, Margherita; Carbone, Marianna; Guo, Yue‐Wei; Cimino, Guido

doi:10.1007/s00049-005-0289-5

Cited by 31 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Despite the frequent specialization of Glossodoris species on sesterterpenoids (25 carbon atoms) and that of Hypselodoris species on sesquiterpenoids (15 carbons), we found diterpenoids (20 carbons) in G. atromarginata , and a degraded furano-sesterterpenoid (21 carbons) in Hypselodoris sp. In addition, comparing our previous data to present data, intra-specific variations appear in the chemical composition of G. atromarginata and C. gracillimum [29], [37], [38]. These observations suggest that there is still much to learn about the evolution of food specialization in this family, especially because a recent review suggests that many apparent anomalies could be due to the misunderstanding of either sponge or chromodorid phylogeny [24].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…The observation that the dorsal horn is frequently damaged suggests that the attention of predators has been directed to a distasteful part of the body, thereby reducing the amount of damage to the slug [26], [28]. This hypothesis was further supported in C. gracillimum and C. trilobatum by the presence of a feeding deterrent sesquiterpenoid, mainly concentrated in the MDFs of the dorsal horn [29]. However, this suggestion remained controversial given the small sample size and because neither quantitative nor statistical treatment of data was provided.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

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Packaging and Delivery of Chemical Weapons: A Defensive Trojan Horse Stratagem in Chromodorid Nudibranchs

et al. 2013

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BackgroundStorage of secondary metabolites with a putative defensive role occurs in the so-called mantle dermal formations (MDFs) that are located in the more exposed parts of the body of most and very likely all members of an entire family of marine mollusks, the chromodorid nudibranchs (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia). Given that these structures usually lack a duct system, the mechanism for exudation of their contents remains unclear, as does their adaptive significance. One possible explanation could be that they are adapted so as to be preferentially attacked by predators. The nudibranchs might offer packages containing highly repugnant chemicals along with parts of their bodies to the predators, as a defensive variant of the strategic theme of the Trojan horse.Methodology and Principal FindingsWe detected, by quantitative 1H-NMR, extremely high local concentrations of secondary metabolites in the MDFs of six species belonging to five chromodorid genera. The compounds were purified by chromatographic methods and subsequently evaluated for their feeding deterrent properties, obtaining dose-response curves. We found that only distasteful compounds are accumulated in the reservoirs at concentrations that far exceed the values corresponding to maximum deterrent activity in the feeding assays. Other basic evidence, both field and experimental, has been acquired to elucidate the kind of damage that the predators can produce on both the nudibranchs' mantles and the MDFs.SignificanceAs a result of a long evolutionary process that has progressively led to the accumulation of defensive chemical weapons in localized anatomical structures, the extant chromodorid nudibranchs remain in place when molested, retracting respiratory and chemosensory organs, but offering readily accessible parts of their body to predators. When these parts are masticated or wounded by predators, breakage of the MDFs results in the release of distasteful compounds at extremely high concentration in a way that maximizes their repugnant impact.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Packaging and Delivery of Chemical Weapons: A Defensive Trojan Horse Stratagem in Chromodorid Nudibranchs

et al. 2013

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“…Our sampling covered representative species from infraorder Doridacea (families: Aegiridae, Chromodoridae, Dendrodorididae, Discodoridae, Dorididae, Phyllidiidae and Polyceridae) and infraorder Aeolidida (families: Glaucidae, Facelinidae and Flabellinidae) (Table S1). Most nudibranchs contain secondary metabolites, including isocyanides, diterpenes and sesquiterpenes (Faulkner & Ghiselin, 1983;Cimino et al, 1985;Avila, 1995), which protect the animals from predatory attacks (Avila, 1995;Mollo et al, 2005). These chemicals are often localized in selected parts of the body (Avila & Paul, 1997;Somerville et al, 2006;Wagele et al, 2006) and can be diet-derived or produced de novo (Cimino et al, 1983;Cimino & Sodano, 1993;Fontana et al, 1994).…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conspicuous visual signals do not coevolve with increased body size in marine sea slugs

Cheney

Cortesi

How

et al. 2014

J of Evolutionary Biology

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Many taxa use conspicuous colouration to attract mates, signal chemical defences (aposematism) or for thermoregulation. Conspicuousness is a key feature of aposematic signals, and experimental evidence suggests that predators avoid conspicuous prey more readily when they exhibit larger body size and/or pattern elements. Aposematic prey species may therefore evolve a larger body size due to predatory selection pressures, or alternatively, larger prey species may be more likely to evolve aposematic colouration. Therefore, a positive correlation between conspicuousness and body size should exist. Here, we investigated whether there was a phylogenetic correlation between the conspicuousness of animal patterns and body size using an intriguing, understudied model system to examine questions on the evolution of animal signals, namely nudibranchs (opisthobranch molluscs). We also used new ways to compare animal patterns quantitatively with their background habitat in terms of intensity variance and spatial frequency power spectra. In studies of aposematism, conspicuousness is usually quantified using the spectral contrast of animal colour patches against its background; however, other components of visual signals, such as pattern, luminance and spectral sensitivities of potential observers, are largely ignored. Contrary to our prediction, we found that the conspicuousness of body patterns in over 70 nudibranch species decreased as body size increased, indicating that crypsis was not limited to a smaller body size. Therefore, alternative selective pressures on body size and development of colour patterns, other than those inflicted by visual hunting predators, may act more strongly on the evolution of aposematism in nudibranch molluscs.

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“…Two furanoterpenoid derivatives were recently isolated from Siphonochilus aethiopicus (Holzapfel et al, 2002). Similar furanosesquiterpenoids have been previously isolated from marine sources (Yamakawa et al, 1975;Iguchi et al, 1986;Mollo et al, 2005). This is the first time to our knowledge that these structures were characterized and tested for antiplasmodial activity.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 92%

The bioactivity of novel furanoterpenoids isolated from Siphonochilus aethiopicus

Lategan

Campbell

Seaman

et al. 2009

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

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Chemical studies on Indopacific Ceratosoma nudibranchs illuminate the protective role of their dorsal horn

Cited by 31 publications

References 15 publications

Packaging and Delivery of Chemical Weapons: A Defensive Trojan Horse Stratagem in Chromodorid Nudibranchs

Packaging and Delivery of Chemical Weapons: A Defensive Trojan Horse Stratagem in Chromodorid Nudibranchs

Conspicuous visual signals do not coevolve with increased body size in marine sea slugs

The bioactivity of novel furanoterpenoids isolated from Siphonochilus aethiopicus

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