A note on manna feeding by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Steinbauer, Martin J.

doi:10.1080/00222939600770641

Cited by 21 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The quantity of saliva injected will not only be a function of bug size; certainly, based on body size (Table 2) the salivary glands of A. obscuricornis are of greater volume than G. tasmanicus, but insects which feed at a particular site for long periods (e.g. A. obscuricornis (Steinbauer, 1996)) may also inject greater quantities of saliva into a wound during this time than insects which remain at a site for only a short while. The significance of bug size, the number of feeding individuals, the feeding site and the duration of feeding to the type of phytotoxicosis exhibited was noted by Neal (1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has long been known that Amorbus species damage the apical shoots of eucalypts (Froggatt, 1907;Kumar, 1966;Ohmart, 1990;Stone, 1991Stone, , 1993Steinbauer, 1995Steinbauer, , 1996, however few authors have observed G. tasmanicus damaging eucalypts. From a pest management perspective, it was thus considered prudent to clarify which species poses the most significant threat to plantation eucalypts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparison of damage to Eucalyptus caused by Amorbus obscuricornis and Gelonus tasmanicus

Steinbauer

Taylor

Madden

1997

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Amorbus obscuricornis (Westwood) and Gelonus tasmanicus (Le Guillou) (Heteroptera: Coreidae) are specific to Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae). A. obscuricornis feeds almost exclusively upon apical shoots and causes a characteristic wilting and necrosis. By comparison, the feeding activities of G. tasmanicus result in no obvious phytotoxicosis. Salivary gland extracts from both species exhibited sucrase activity but no pectinmethylesterase (PME) activity. Saliva from A. obscuricornis also exhibited considerable oxidase activity. Sucrase activity was significantly higher in extracts derived from G. tasmanicus than from A. obscuricornis, but this could not explain the observed differences in phytotoxic symptoms. It is suggested that differences in plant damage are attributable to the site of feeding activity (i.e. young versus mature tissue), which predetermines the reactivity of host tissues, and/or the quantity of salivary enzymes injected.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of damage to Eucalyptus caused by Amorbus obscuricornis and Gelonus tasmanicus

Steinbauer

Taylor

Madden

1997

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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“…J. Steinbauer, unpubl.). Predation and parasitisation of nymphal and adult stages has not been commonly observed (Steinbauer & Clarke, 1995;Steinbauer, 1996), possibly because of species characteristic defensive secretions (Steinbauer & Davies, 1995). Predation by birds is not considered likely given that most nymphal stages are also aposematically coloured (Steinbauer, 1995).…”

Section: Natural Enemiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The population ecology of Amorbus Dallas (Hemiptera: Coreidae) species in Australia

Steinbauer

1999

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Species of Amorbus Dallas (Hemiptera: Coreidae) appear to exhibit a tight link between oviposition preference and nymphal performance: females apparently select vigorous plant modules to facilitate the development of their offspring. Such behaviour suggests that these insects should exhibit population dynamics consistent with the latent classification proposed by Price et al. (1990). While this empirical hypothesis is intuitively appealing it does not appear to incorporate current population dynamics theory. Berryman's ecodynamics (1992) offers the potential to describe a species' population dynamics which is grounded in a quantitative theoretical framework. The population ecology of Amorbus species from Australia is considered in relation to these hypotheses.

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“…Eucalyptus viminalis was the only tree at our sites to produce manna, although in other parts of Australia at least 15 species of Eucalyptus and Angophora are known to produce the exudate (Steinbauer ). The importance of E. viminalis as a key manna source in Tasmania explains the strong specialization of Forty‐spotted Pardalote on this single tree species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Manna is an important food resource for many Australian birds, including nectarivores and insectivores such as honeyeaters and silvereyes (Recher et al . , Steinbauer , Gartrell , Wilson & Recher ). It is also a food resource for mammals, such as the Yellow‐bellied Glider Petaurus australis , Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps and Leadbeater's Possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri (Smith , , Goldingay ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First report of ‘mining’ as a feeding behaviour among Australian manna‐feeding birds

Case

Edworthy

2016

Ibis

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The Forty-spotted Pardalote Pardalotus quadragintus is an endangered songbird endemic to the forests of Tasmania, Australia. Forty-spotted Pardalotes forage predominantly in the foliage of White (or Manna) Gums Eucalyptus viminalis for invertebrates, lerps (the protective coverings produced by psyllids) and manna, a crystallized exudate produced by certain Eucalyptus species. Although many Australian birds feed on manna, this study reports the first observations of birds actively stimulating manna production rather than feeding on it opportunistically. In light of these observations, we also compared rates of manna production across tree species and sizes, and quantified the relative importance of manna in nestling diet. Adult Forty-spotted Pardalotes stimulated manna production by clipping leaf stalks with their bills, creating small incisions in the stem surface. We experimentally mimicked this behaviour and found that, in 53.7% of incisions of E. viminalis, manna flow was released within 3 days. However, none of the other three common tree species at our sites produced manna in response to the same experimental damage. There was no effect of tree size on manna production by E. viminalis. To determine the importance of manna and other food sources in nestling diet, we videotaped provisioning trips by adults to nests and surveyed food availability in E. viminalis foliage within territories. Manna was the most important food item, comprising 84.2% of identified food items provided to nestlings, and it was selected over 50 times more frequently than expected given its relative availability in the foliage. As a manna miner, the Forty-spotted Pardalote is the first Australian bird to join the small number of bird species that mine sap or other exudates of trees. Their preference for manna as a food source, especially in nestling diet, provides an explanation for the species' specialization on E. viminalis, the only manna-producing tree at our sites. Our results suggest that E. viminalis forests provide critical food supply for developing nestlings, and that restoration of E. viminalis forests will be critical to the long-term viability of Forty-spotted Pardalote populations.

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A note on manna feeding by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Cited by 21 publications

References 24 publications

Comparison of damage to Eucalyptus caused by Amorbus obscuricornis and Gelonus tasmanicus

Comparison of damage to Eucalyptus caused by Amorbus obscuricornis and Gelonus tasmanicus

The population ecology of Amorbus Dallas (Hemiptera: Coreidae) species in Australia

First report of ‘mining’ as a feeding behaviour among Australian manna‐feeding birds

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