Anuran larvae as prey and hosts of invertebrates in Neotropical aquatic habitats

Abstract

Background: Biotic processes, such as predation and parasitism events, are crucial for answering questions in ecology and evolution. Here, we report predation and ectoparasitism events of invertebrates upon tadpoles in aquatic habitats of southern Brazil. Findings: Four lentic water bodies were sampled twice a month (December 2012 to March 2013. Those water bodies were located in the Diamante do Norte County, State of Paraná, southern Brazil. The tadpoles, Dendropsophus aff. minutus, Hypsiboas raniceps, Scinax fuscovarius, Physalaemus cuvieri and Elachistocleis bicolor were observed being predated by six different invertebrate predators. However, Leptodactylus fuscus and Pseudis sp. were also recorded on the same water bodies and were not observed being preyed or parasitized. The most abundant predator in our sampling areas was the diving beetle larvae. We observed a static and escape behavior of tadpoles when in close proximity to predators and constant movements in E. bicolor tadpoles, which can be advantageous for invertebrate predators. Parasitism events included D. aff. minutus, S. fuscovarius, and E. bicolor tadpoles that were infected by a single leech. The ectoparasites anchor the posterior sucker on the host tadpole during the blood feeding. Conclusions: Even isolated reports of ecological interactions are important for understanding ecological communities and the impacts of parasites and predators on tadpoles' populations. Additionally, these interactions can help to understand the ecology behavior of the organisms.

Atividade Predatória de Insetos Aquáticos (Odonata: Libellulidae e Coleóptera: Hydrophilidae) em Condições Laboratoriais

“…Adults have a more generalist eating habit, involving algae and detritus of organic material (Ferreira-Jr et al 2014). Another factor that may have influenced the timing of family predation Hydrophilidae is the fact that beetles move in circles in the water column (Gambale et al 2014). This movement is observed by prey that immediately seek ways of defense that prevent them from being preyed on, among these, the escape behavior becomes the most used (Teplitsky et al 2005).…”

Belostomatidae Leach, 1815 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Nepomorpha) of northeastern Brazil

“…These are the first records of this species from the state of Maranhão. Carlo 1938;Heckman 1998;Almeida et al 2019), Mato Grosso do Sul (Floriano et al 2013), Minas Gerais (Nieser & Melo 1997;Melo & Nieser 2004;Souza et al 2006), Paraíba (Almeida et al 2019), Paraná (Batista et al 2013;Gambale et al 2014;Almeida et al 2019), Rio de Janeiro (Mayr 1866;…”

High prevalence of anomalies in Nyctimantis brunoi (Anura: Hylidae) from a restinga protected area in southeastern Brazil

“…The greater the stage of development in anurans, the greater the possibilities of incomplete regeneration due to the ontogenetic decline in regenerative capacity (Ballengée and Sessions 2009). Based on fie d observations and avai ab e iterat re macro invertebrates such as Hirudinea, Arachnida, Coleoptera (Dytiscidae), Odonata, and Hemiptera, are the main sub-lethal predators of t e an ran arvae ran a and a isto Gambale et al 2014), and a great variety of them occur in the PNRJ. Temporary water bodies harbor smaller abundance of predators than permanent water bodies (Santos et al 2007).…”