Chemical investigation of the spray of the Asian whipscorpion Typopeltis crucifer Pocock, 1894

Abstract

The spray of the Asian whipscorpion, Typopeltis crucifer Pocock, 1894,was investigated chemically using a high performance liquid chromatograph and a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. The spray mainly consists of acetic acid, caprylic acid, and water. No other fatty acids, other volatile materials or active amines can be detected in the spray. The adult discharged ca. 5 to 15×(10)^ mol of the total acid in the 1st shot. Contents of the major components were determined by massfragmentography and the following results were obtained : acetic acid, 81.7% (v/v); caprylic acid, 5.4% (v/v); water, 12.9% (v/v). These values are quite similar to those of the American species, Mastigoproctus giganteus (Lucas, 1835).