Chemical defense of Pterogorgia anceps, a Caribbean gorgonian coral

Abstract

Field and laboratory experiments confirmed the feeding-deterrent properties of lipid-soluble extracts of the Caribbean gorgonian octocoral Pterogorgia anceps (Pallas) with subsequent determination of the secondary metabolite responsible for this effect. Laboratory assays of purified metabolites isolated from the ancepsenolide-containing fraction revealed that the feeding-inhibitory effect was restricted to a diacetoxy derivative of ancepsenolide. -from Authors