Terpenoid-alkaloid

Guides

• Brachycybe petasata

  Brachycybe petasata is a small millipede in the order Platydesmida, endemic to the southern Appalachian Mountains of the southeastern United States. It inhabits moist forest floor habitats, particularly leaf litter and decaying wood in beech, birch, maple, and hemlock forests. The species is distinguished by its production of four unique monoterpene alkaloids as chemical defenses: gosodesmine, hydrogosodesmine, homogosodesmine, and hydrohomogosodesmine. As a member of the subterclass Colobognatha, it represents one of the few millipede lineages known to synthesize terpenoid alkaloids.

  millipedediplopodaplatydesmidacolobognathaappalachian-endemicchemical-defenseterpenoid-alkaloidfungivoreforest-floorleaf-litterdecaying-wood