Schreckstoff

• 1,7- dihydro -6H -purin- 6-one - 3-oxide

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Hypoxanthine -3- N-oxide is an oxidized xanthine derivative, which is considered as an alarm pheromone, because it is released from certain fish injuries. From its discoverer, Karl von Frisch, the substance shock substance was called. This name is found in current and even in English-language literature.

Historical

1936 Karl von Frisch discovered in the skin of minnows a substance that scares sustained this small swarm fish at release ( through injury) other individuals. This avoid fish ( through learning ) a point at which a conspecific was hurt, often for days as a possible location of a predatory fish. Later, the substance was also detected in other cyprinids.

Chemistry and physiology

Chemically, it is to hypoxanthine -3-N - oxide, biologically to a pheromone, the cells in particular ( ' piston ' cells ) produced and stored. Since it is physiologically produced only with effort, can be made on its purposefulness no doubt. Probably it was initially used as protectant against skin parasites and UV damage. In numerous experiments peculiarities of its effect were observed. So thus can be lured, perhaps, other predators. Some of the fish species its formation is suppressed in males during the breeding.

Observations in a natural environment, and their future evolution of such an alarm pheromone, however, have cast doubt on the effect of shock substance arise as an alarm pheromone.

Hypoxanthine -3- N-oxide characterized by the taxon Ostariophysi. But he finds himself ( pheromone ) in other taxa, for example in the Etheostomatinae ( Spring perch ). Substances similar effects were ( spread through the air ) even when the tadpoles, mussels, snails, and even supposedly discovered in angiosperms.