First report of 3,4-dimethoxyphenol, in defensive secretions of endemic Cuban millipedes (Spirobolida, Rhinocricidae, Rhinocricus). Case study Rhinocricus duvernoyi Karch 1881, town of La Palma

Abstract

The millipedes (Artropoda, Dipolopoda), are very old terrestrial invertebrates that include 14,000 species distributed in all the geographic zones of the planet. These organisms respond to an attack by predators by ejecting a disgusting brown discharge with a repellent phenolic odor that can cause serious skin irritation for the attacker; sometimes being victims of these attacks the human being who invades the habitat of these invertebrates. The chemical composition of these secretions varies according to the taxonomic order. The species of the orders: Julida, Spirobolida and Spirostreptida secrete p-benzoquinones, the species of Polydesmida discharge hydrogen cyanide and nitroalkanes, Glomerida and Polyzoniida eject alkaloids and also terpenoids such as ß-pinene and limonene.