Perplexity search:
what are the chemical names of the toxins that nudibranchs use after ingesting them, and do any nudibranchs make their own toxins?
Nudibranchs use a range of chemical compounds as toxins for defense, most of which they obtain from their prey. However, some species can synthesize their own defensive chemicals. Here’s a detailed look at the chemical names and sources:
Chemical Names of Toxins Used by Nudibranchs
Latrunculin A: This is a potent cytotoxin commonly sequestered by nudibranchs, especially those that feed on certain sponges. Latrunculin A disrupts actin polymerization in cells, making it highly toxic to various marine organisms and even cancer cell lines. It is especially concentrated in the nudibranch’s mantle, where it provides maximum defensive benefit to the animal.
Manoalides, Puupehenone, Pallescensone, Dehydroherbadysidolide: These are other examples of toxins found in nudibranchs, often mirroring the chemical defenses of the sponges they consume. Different nudibranch species selectively store different compounds from their prey.
Nitrogenous Terpenoids: Including cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids (like xidaoisocyanate A), bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids, kalihinane-type diterpenoids, and others. These compounds can exhibit significant cytotoxicity and help deter predation.
Kleptocnidae: Aeolid nudibranchs feeding on cnidarians (such as hydroids or sea anemones) can sequester and store nematocysts (stinging cells) from their prey, using them for their own defense. This is a mechanical, as well as chemical, defense.
Ugdon Acid: Some species can release acids like ugdon acid from their skin when physically irritated, which is capable of severely harming a predator
Do Any Nudibranchs Synthesize Their Own Toxins?
Most nudibranch toxins are sequestered from prey, particularly sponges, cnidarians, and bryozoans
However, some nudibranchs can produce toxins de novo (i.e., synthesize them themselves) without relying entirely on dietary sources. This is evidenced by the uniformity of their chemical profile across various geographic regions, regardless of local prey availability. For instance, some Antarctic nudibranch species and groups like certain dorid nudibranchs are believed to synthesize their own defensive chemicals
These autogenic toxins often include forms of acids, distasteful metabolites (secondary metabolites), or other deterrent molecules. However, such self-synthesis is less common compared to dietary sequestration, and most studied compounds in nudibranchs are traceable to their food.
