Table 1.
Molecular weights and structural composition of the five toxic peptides known from larvae of Pergidae and Argidae.
Figure 1.
Concentration of the major peptides detected in six species of Pergidae and two species of Argidae.
Peptide names abbreviated as in Table 1. Values expressed as means ± SD. Numbers of analyzed specimens given in square brackets. Prior to extraction and analysis, specimens were either kept in ethanol, or oven dried (o.d.).
Figure 2.
Absolute quantities of four peptides detected in 28 species of Argidae.
Peptide names abbreviated as in Table 1. Values expressed as means ± SD. Numbers of analyzed specimens given in square brackets. Data for Arge nigripes and Arge pagana are those from Fig. 1.
Figure 3.
Fresh body weight and detected quantity of pergidin in individual larvae of species of Pergidae and Argidae.
Species data from Fig. 1 combined at genus level, where applicable, i.e. Arge nigripes + Arge pagana; Lophyrotoma analis + Lophyrotoma interrupta + Lophyrotoma zonalis; Philomastix macclaei; Pterygophorus insignis + Pterygophorus nr turneri.
Figure 4.
Diluted extracts from Lophyrotoma zonalis repeatedly analyzed to track peptide quantity over storage time.
Peptide names abbreviated as in Table 1. Values (means ± SD) refer to eight extracts stored at –20°C in between the chemical analyses. Peptides shown are pergidin (Perg), 4-valinepergidin (VPerg), and lophyrotomin (LGln).