Mosquito repellents in frog skin

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dc.contributor.authorWilliams, C.
dc.contributor.authorSmith, B.
dc.contributor.authorBest, S.
dc.contributor.authorTyler, M.
dc.date.issued2006
dc.description.abstractThe search for novel insect repellents has been driven by health concerns over established synthetic compounds such as diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). Given the diversity of compounds known from frog skin and records of mosquito bite and ectoparasite infestation, the presence of mosquito repellents in frogs seemed plausible. We investigated frog skin secretions to confirm the existence of mosquito repellent properties. Litoria caerulea secretions were assessed for mosquito repellency by topical application on mice. The secretions provided protection against host-seeking Culex annulirostris mosquitoes. Olfactometer tests using aqueous washes of skin secretions from L. caerulea and four other frog species were conducted to determine whether volatile components were responsible for repellency. Volatiles from Litoria rubella and Uperoleia mjobergi secretions were repellent to C. annulirostris, albeit not as repellent as a DEET control. The demonstration of endogenous insect repellents in amphibians is novel, and demonstrates that many aspects of frog chemical ecology remain unexplored.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityC. R. Williams, B. P. C. Smith, S. M. Best and M. J. Tyler
dc.identifier.citationBiology Letters, 2006; 2(2):242-245
dc.identifier.doi10.1098/rsbl.2006.0448
dc.identifier.issn1744-9561
dc.identifier.issn1744-957X
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/23734
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherThe Royal Society
dc.rights© 2006 The Royal Society
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2006.0448
dc.subjectSkin
dc.subjectAnimals
dc.subjectAnura
dc.subjectCulex
dc.subjectDEET
dc.subjectInsect Repellents
dc.titleMosquito repellents in frog skin
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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