Rufous-naped wrens (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) in northwestern Costa Rica build breeding nests most frequently in ant-acacia trees (Acacia collinsii) and occasionally near wasp nests in ant-acacia trees. By moving occupied wasp nests (Polybia rejecta) to randomly chosen ant-acacia trees with wren nests, I tested the hypothesis that wrens nesting near wasp nests were more likely to fledge young than wrens not nesting near wasp nests. Wrens whose nests were near experimentally relocated wasp nests were significantly more likely to fledge young (37.5% of 16 attempts in 1987 and 75% of 12 attempts in 1988) than were wrens whose nests had no wasp nests placed near them (0% of 16 attempts in 1987 and 20% of 15 attempts in 1988). In 15 cases, repeated nesting attempts occurred in the same trees both with and without experimentally-placed wasp nests. Analysis of these data allowed a comparison of the effect of wasp nests on fledging success while differences among trees were controlled. Within the same tree, nesting attempts associated with wasp nests were significantly more likely to fledge young than nesting attempts without wasp nests. Predation was the primary cause of nest failure, and within forest, white-faced monkeys (Cebus capucinus) were the most important predators. The difference in success of wren nests with and without wasps and observations of predators indicate that enhancement of fledging success wa, s due to deterrence of predatory vertebrates by wasps.
Initiated in 2015, the marine inventory of Área de Conservación Guanacaste (BioMar-ACG) is rapidly advancing knowledge of biodiversity. Key aspects include synergizing with parataxonomists, barcoding specimens and making information available. After 85 years, 594 species were reported. Now, after four years, BioMar-ACG documented 1,123 species, for a total of 1,479.
The eusocial vespid wasp ,\lischocytfarus mastkophorus exhibits two colour morphs, with malcs and females of each morph co-occurring at hlonteverde, Costa Rica. Each morph closely resembles a different sympatric species of swarm-founding wasp in the genus Agelaia. We propose that the Agelaia species are models for a dual mimicry system. The Agelaia species (A.y$~ocapa, mimicked by the .\I. mastigophorus pale morph, and A. xanthupus, mimicked by the ,if. mastigophorus dark morph) are locally abundant wasps with largc, aggressively defended colonies. 'The mimic and models are restricted to high-elevation habitat in the Montcvcrde area, and the elevational ranges of both Agelaia species partially overlap the elevational range of 39. ma.rtigophorus. Relative frequencies of the ,\I. madigophorus colour morphs vary with elevation, with the pale morph predominating at lower elevations. Elevational differences in the relative abundanccs of the Ageha species suggest that the models act as a sclective force maintaining the 'lt mastigophoru.r colour polymorphism at Montciwdc. i21ischoryttarus marfigophorus overlaps only A. .mntho,bus in the northern part of its range (S. hfcxico), and overlaps only A. pepompa in the southern part of its mnge (Ecuador). \.Vc hypothesizc that the M. mast&ophoru~ colour morphs evolved in allopatry and later came into contact in Central America. Appropriate high-elevation habitat for cloud forest species is distributed as discrete patches in Central America and Northern South America. The island-like nature of suitable habitat may favour the isolation and rapid evolutionary diversification of vespid species that are restrictcd to high elevations in the Seotropics. 0 I999 Thc Linnran Societ) of London ADDITIONAL KEY \YORDS:-Age/aiabiogeography ~ Batesian mimicrycloud forest elevational gradient ~ hliillcrian mimicry ~ necrophacgy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.