Figure 1.
Time from first ant, Paltothyreus tarsatus, contact with termites (left; inlet A) or mealworms (right), coated with the skin secretion of Phrynomantis microps, until stinging (inlet B).
Control groups are termites or mealworms coated with water. Boxplots show the median and the interquartiles of time from first ant contact with a termite or mealworm until stinging. Coated insects were stung significantly later than control insects.
Figure 2.
Fractionation of the skin secretion from Phrynomantis microps by reversed-phase HPLC on a LiChroCART column, 125×4 mm (Merck, Darmstadt) which was eluted with a linear gradient from 0 to 60% acetonitrile in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (dotted line) over 60 min at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min.
Absorbance was monitored at 220(above). Below: Total ion chromatogram (TIC) of liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/TOF MS) analysis of the HPLC fraction containing two peptides: m/z 1029.506 and m/z 1143.548 (non-protonated). De novo sequencing of the peptides suggested the tentative sequences as indicated in the chromatograms. Inlet picture: adult Phrynomantis microps examined by Paltothyreus tarsatus workers.
Figure 3.
Effect of the two peptides from the skin secretion of Phrynomantis microps applied to termite, Macrotermes bellicosus, soldiers and delaying the aggressive behaviour and stinging of Paltothyreus tarsatus ants.
Maximum observation time was 20