Chemical defense: Aquatic beetle (
            <i>Dineutes hornii</i>
            ) vs. fish (
            <i>Micropterus salmoides</i>
            )

Eisner, Thomas; Aneshansley, Daniel J.

doi:10.1073/pnas.190335397

Cited by 25 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…and Dineutus spp. found in ponds with fish belonged to families with chemical defenses that make them unpalatable to fish [45]. Conversely, some of the macroinvertebrate taxa found predominantly in ponds without fish had behaviors that would make them vulnerable to fish predation [24], such as high activity levels (e.g., Anax junius, Callibaetis spp., Notonecta spp.)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of fish on mercury contamination of macroinvertebrate communities of Grassland ponds

Henderson

Chumchal

Drenner

et al. 2012

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Mercury is an environmental contaminant that negatively affects the health of vertebrate consumers such as fish, birds, and mammals. Although aquatic macroinvertebrates are a key link in the trophic transfer of Hg to vertebrate consumers, Hg contamination in macroinvertebrate communities has not been well studied. The purpose of the present study was to examine how Hg in macroinvertebrate communities is affected by the presence of fish. We sampled macroinvertebrates from five ponds with fish and five ponds without fish, at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland in north Texas, USA. Ponds without fish contained a higher biomass of macroinvertebrates and taxa with higher concentrations of Hg, which led to a higher Hg pool in the macroinvertebrate community. A total of 73% of the macroinvertebrate biomass from ponds without fish was composed of taxa with the potential to emerge and transport Hg out of ponds into terrestrial food webs. The results of the present study suggest that small ponds, the numerically dominant aquatic ecosystems in the United States, may be more at risk for containing organisms with elevated Hg concentrations than has been appreciated.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of fish on mercury contamination of macroinvertebrate communities of Grassland ponds

Henderson

Chumchal

Drenner

et al. 2012

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…In a few cases, fish were observed to hold an ant partially exposed in the premaxillary region of the mouth (i.e. between their 'lips') for up to 15 s before ingestion or rejection, presumably to flush the ant's chemical defenses or to determine prey quality (Eisner and Aneshansley, 2000). Unfortunately, logistical constraints prevented us from collecting and identifying the fish observed in this study.…”

Section: The Journal Of Experimental Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Water surface locomotion in tropical canopy ants

Yanoviak

Frederick

2014

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Upon falling onto the water surface, most terrestrial arthropods helplessly struggle and are quickly eaten by aquatic predators. Exceptions to this outcome mostly occur among riparian taxa that escape by walking or swimming at the water surface. Here we document sustained, directional, neustonic locomotion (i.e. surface swimming) in tropical arboreal ants. We dropped 35 species of ants into natural and artificial aquatic settings in Peru and Panama to assess their swimming ability. Ten species showed directed surface swimming at speeds >3 body lengths s −1 , with some swimming at absolute speeds >10 cm s −1 . Ten other species exhibited partial swimming ability characterized by relatively slow but directed movement. The remaining species showed no locomotory control at the surface. The phylogenetic distribution of swimming among ant genera indicates parallel evolution and a trend toward negative association with directed aerial descent behavior. Experiments with workers of Odontomachus bauri showed that they escape from the water by directing their swimming toward dark emergent objects (i.e. skototaxis). Analyses of high-speed video images indicate that Pachycondyla spp. and O. bauri use a modified alternating tripod gait when swimming; they generate thrust at the water surface via synchronized treading and rowing motions of the contralateral fore and mid legs, respectively, while the hind legs provide roll stability. These results expand the list of facultatively neustonic terrestrial taxa to include various species of tropical arboreal ants. KEY WORDS: Aquatic, Behavior, Forest, Formicidae, Neustonic, Skototaxis INTRODUCTIONEfficient locomotion at the air-water interface is relatively uncommon in nature (Vogel, 1994). Most terrestrial arthropods are helpless when they fall onto water, in part because their small body size makes them vulnerable to entrapment by surface tension forces. Additionally, the relatively low physical resistance of water to slender kicking appendages often leads to a futile struggle ending in death via drowning or predation. Conspicuous exceptions to these generalities include the specialized water-treading behaviors and morphologies of neustonic insects and spiders (Andersen, 1976;Milne and Milne, 1978;Vogel, 1994;Hu et al., 2003). For species lacking such traits, escape from the water surface usually is fortuitous.The very specialized legs of obligate pelagic and neustonic taxa such as diving beetles and water striders facilitate efficient locomotion below or on the water surface (Nachtigall, 1974), but are relatively ineffective and clumsy on land. The gaits of these insects often are kinematically distinct from the alternating tripod gait used by terrestrial species in the same clades (Andersen, 1976). By contrast, riparian arthropods frequently tread on both land and water with high efficiency using the same gaits and appendages. For example, the hydrophobic tarsi of riparian Hydrophorus flies allow them to alight on water or vegetation (Burrows, 2013), and the modified hin...

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“…This last aspect is especially interesting as it relates to whirligig beetles’ unique antennae’s ability to detect surface waves in order to avoid objects (Romey et al 2014; Tucker 1969). Aspects of gyrinid defensive secretion have also interested researchers, as they produce a unique chemical cocktail, dubbed gyrinidal, which prevents predation (Eisner and Aneshansley 2000; Fitzgerald 1986; Meinwald et al 1972). Studies on the vision centers of whirligig’s have also begun (Lin and Strausfeld 2012; 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The New World whirligig beetles of the genus Dineutus Macleay, 1825 (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae, Gyrininae, Dineutini)

Gustafson¹,

Miller²

2015

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All New World members of the whirligig beetle genus Dineutus Macleay, 1825 are treated. The New World Dineutus are found to be composed of 18 species and 6 subspecies: one species, Dineutus mexicanus Ochs, 1925, stat. n. is elevated from subspecies to species rank, and the subspecies Dineutus carolinus mutchleri Ochs, 1925, syn. n. is synonymized here with the typical form. Lectotypes are designated for Dineutus discolor Aubé, 1838, Dineutes metallicus Aubé, 1838, Dineutus solitarius Aubé, 1838, Dineutes analis Régimbart, 1883, and Gyrinus longimanus Olivier, 1795. Each taxonomic unit is provided with a taxonomic history, type locality, diagnosis, distribution, habitat information, and a discussion section. The aedeagus and male mesotarsal claws are illustrated, and dorsal and ventral habitus images of both sexes, for each species and subspecies are provided. General distribution maps are provided for all taxonimc units. A key to the genera of New World Gyrinidae, as well as all the New World Dineutus species is provided. General Dineutus anatomy as well as a clarification of homology and anatomical terms is included.

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Chemical defense: Aquatic beetle ( Dineutes hornii ) vs. fish ( Micropterus salmoides )

Abstract: Gyrinidae ͉ largemouth bass ͉ gyrinidal ͉ repellent ͉ oral flushing

Cited by 25 publications

References 19 publications

Effects of fish on mercury contamination of macroinvertebrate communities of Grassland ponds

Effects of fish on mercury contamination of macroinvertebrate communities of Grassland ponds

Water surface locomotion in tropical canopy ants

The New World whirligig beetles of the genus Dineutus Macleay, 1825 (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae, Gyrininae, Dineutini)

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