&lt;b&gt;Cannibalism among &lt;i&gt;Myrmeleon brasiliensis&lt;/i&gt; larvae (Návas, 1914) (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae)

Lima, Tatiane do Nascimento

doi:10.4025/actascibiolsci.v38i4.32822

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The selection of an adequate site for building a trap is an important component of the foraging behavior of sit-and-wait predators, especially when movements are rare. The relocation and the rebuilding of a new trap in the absence of environmental disturbance rarely occur among antlions, possibility due to the metabolic cost associated with the rebuilding of the trap and the risk of cannibalism (Lima, 2016;Lucas, 1985). In the present study, more than half (61 %) of the M. brasiliensis larvae in the natural environment rebuilt their traps at the same site seven days after the simulation of rain, revealing that the larvae remained in the same location, waiting for the soil to dry.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trap rebuilding by Myrmeleon brasiliensis larvae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) in response to flooding: the effect of body size

et al. 2021

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Introduction: Immature forms of the antlion Myrmeleon brasiliensis (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae) build traps in dry sandy soil to capture prey. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate how the waterlogging of the soil due to rain affects the trap rebuilding and relocation behavior of M. brasiliensis of different sizes. Methods: The study was conducted between July and December 2019. Larvae M. brasiliensis were observed and collected from a forest reserve in the municipality of Aquidauana in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Results: In the natural environment, most larvae rebuilt their traps in the same location seven days after the simulation of rain, with a smaller diameter than that observed prior to the simulation of rain. In the laboratory, the movements of M. brasiliensis larvae and rebuilding of the traps after the waterlogging of the soil was affected by body size. Larger larvae moved more and were more likely to rebuild their traps. Conclusions: The saturation of the soil affects the foraging of M. brasiliensis larvae, which are impeded from rebuilding their traps for a period. In situations of long periods of saturated soil, the mortality rate of the larvae is high and rebuilding of the traps occurs after the soil dries out, but with a smaller trap size. These data suggest that changes in the rainfall pattern can affect the population structure of M. brasiliensis larvae, with the selection of larger individuals in situations of more severe rains. In this process, the smaller larvae are more affected, as their foraging is impeded.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trap rebuilding by Myrmeleon brasiliensis larvae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) in response to flooding: the effect of body size

et al. 2021

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“…The density of the antlion larvae was greater in the protected microhabitat than on the trail. Studies have demonstrated that density affects the movements of larvae and the occurrence of cannibalism (Lima, 2016;Lima & Lopes, 2016). In the present study, despite the greater density in the protected microhabitat, mean trap size and the investment of the larvae in trap size were greater.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of the microhabitat on the trap construction of Myrmeleon brasiliensis (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) larvae

Lima

2020

Iheringia, Sér. Zool.

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Antlion larvae of Myrmeleon brasiliensis (Návas, 1914) build their traps in a microenvironment with protection from the direct action of rain and other perturbations as well as microhabitats that are less protected from disturbances that can destroy the traps. Differences in microhabitats may affect the characteristics of the trap-building process due the high energy expenditure exerted in building and maintaining these traps, which led to the following question: Do antlion larvae of M. brasiliensis build larger traps in protected microhabitats? Considering the occurrence of M. brasiliensis larvae in two microhabitats and the measurements of the size of the larvae and their traps, the hypothesis was that larvae would occur in greater abundance and the trap size would be larger in more protected microhabitats. The results showed that antlions occurred in equal abundance in both microhabitats, but density was greater in the protected microhabitat. Even in months with more rainfall, M. brasiliensis larvae continued to forage throughout the year in the protected microhabitat and the investment in trap size was greater in this microhabitat. This suggests that the larvae of the protected microhabitat have an advantage, given that they have the possibility of foraging throughout the year.

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“…With the increase in trap size, which reflects the progression of larval instars, M. brasiliensis larvae were observed outside of groups (no presence of neighboring larvae within a 30-cm radius). Larvae that remain in groups are subject to competition for prey items, the destruction of their traps by neighboring larvae and cannibalism (Gotelli, 1993;Day & Zalucki, 2000;Lima, 2016). Isolated larvae avoid these problems, but at the cost of moving to a different location and reconstructing the trap (Lucas 1985;Lima & Silva, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Larger individuals are generally more voracious cannibals than smaller individuals. Consequently, smaller larvae are often eaten by larger individuals (Polis, 1980;Lima, 2016). The presence of cannibals may induce smaller conspecifics to avoid foraging in areas near large individuals (Persson & Eklov, 1995;Biro, Post, & Parkinson, 2003;Rudolf, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Larval forms of antlions (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae) are sit-and-wait predators that built traps in sandy soil to capture their prey (Nonato & Lima, 2011). Competition among antlion larvae is seen in the quest for space to build their traps, in the search for prey and in the occurrence of cannibalism (Lima, 2016). To minimize the effects of competition, the larvae demonstrate spatial distribution that ranges from random to uniform, depending on the need to increase the density of the groups (Lima & Faria, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of asymmetric competition on distance among <i>Myrmeleon brasiliensis</i> (Návas, 1914) (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) larvae

Lima

Freire

Lima

2019

Acta Sci. Biol. Sci.

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In cases of asymmetric competition, larger individuals of many animal species have a greater probability of acquiring territory, gaining initial access to resources and finding a mate in comparison to smaller individuals. The competition among larvae of the antlion Myrmeleon brasiliensis (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae) is observed in the search for space for the construction of traps, in the forage for prey, and in the occurrence of cannibalism. The body size of the larvae is proportional to the size of the traps and the success of predation. Thus, larger specimens are better competitors in terms of capturing preys (asymmetric competition). The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of asymmetric competition in M. brasiliensis regarding the distance among these larvae. The study was developed in a permanent reserve area, located in the municipality of Aquidauana, from the Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. For the laboratory experiments, we collected M. brasiliensis larvae and placed two larvae in plastic pots. The observations occurred by the visual search of traps, when a larva was seen in the diameter of its trap and the trap of its closest neighbor. Next, the trap size and the distance between them were measured for a period of 15 days. The results of the present study demonstrate that the largest M. brasiliensis larvae were outside the clusters. Within these clusters, the larvae moved away from each other because of the size of their traps, as the larger the neighboring larvae the greater the distance between them. Thus, the asymmetric competition between M. brasiliensis (larger larvae are better competitors) suggests a spatial arrangement among the larvae that is guided by the variable size of the trap.

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<b>Cannibalism among <i>Myrmeleon brasiliensis</i> larvae (Návas, 1914) (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae)

Cited by 5 publications

References 23 publications

Trap rebuilding by Myrmeleon brasiliensis larvae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) in response to flooding: the effect of body size

Trap rebuilding by Myrmeleon brasiliensis larvae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) in response to flooding: the effect of body size

Influence of the microhabitat on the trap construction of Myrmeleon brasiliensis (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) larvae

Effect of asymmetric competition on distance among <i>Myrmeleon brasiliensis</i> (Návas, 1914) (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) larvae

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