Summary
TheDusmoecetes species complex on sub-Antarctic Marion Island comprises two species. The larger species,D. similis (C.O. Waterhouse), feeds on angiosperms as adults and detritus as larvae, whereas the smaller species,D. marioni Jeannel feeds on bryophytes in all stages.D. similis has seven larval instars and a generation time of one year or longer.D. marioni has between five and seven larval instars, depending on the plant community it inhabits, and a generation time of one year or less. Immatures ofD. similis have a theoretical null point of development of -0.62°C and aQ 10 of 3.57. In both species there are overlapping generations in the field, although in the case ofD. similis there is a distinct seasonal emergence of adults starting in September. Mean standing crop of larvae on the coastal plain is approximately 5.5 kg (dry mass)·ha-1, but can be as high as 11.85 kg (dry mass)·ha-1 inAzorella selago dominated communities. This study indicates that both species are important herbivores and/or detritivores on Marion Island.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson RM (1981) Population Ecology of Infectious Disease Agents. In: May RM (ed) Theoretical Ecology Principles and Applications (2nd Ed). Blackwell Scientific Publications, London, pp 318–355
Block W, Somme L (1983) Low Temperature Adaptations in Beetles from the Sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia. Polar Biol 2:109–114
Burger AE (1978) Terrestrial invertebrates: a food resource for birds at Marion Island. S Afr J Antarct Res 8:87–99
Chown SL (1989) Habitat use and diet as biogeographic indicators for subantarctic Ectemnorhinini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Antarct Sci 1:23–30
Chown SL, Scholtz CH (1989a) Immature Stages of Curculionidae (Coleoptera) from the Prince Edward Islands. J Ent Soc Sth Afr (in press)
Chown SL, Scholtz CH (1989b) Cryptogam Herbivory in Curculionidae (Coleoptera) from the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. Col Bull (in press)
Crafford JE (1987) The Lepidoptera of the Prince Edward Island (46° 54′ S, 37° 45′ E): Ecology and Zoogeography. Unpublished MSc Thesis, University of Pretoria
Crafford JE, Scholtz CH (1986) Impact ofEmbryonopsis halticella Eaton Larvae (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) Feeding in Marion Island Tussock Grassland. Polar Biol 6:191–196
Crafford JE, Scholtz CH (1987) Quantitative Differences Between the Insect Faunas of Sub-Antarctic Marion and Prince Edward Islands: A Result of Human Intervention? Biol Conserv 40:255–262
Crafford JE, Scholtz CH, Chown SL (1986) The Insects of sub-Antarctic Marion and Prince Edward Islands; with a bibliography of Entomology of the Kerguelen Biogeographical Province. S Afr J Antarct Res 16:42–84
Daly HV (1985) Insect Morphometrics. Ann Rev Entomol 30:415–438
Davies L (1972) TwoAmblystogenium Species (Col. Carabidae) Co-Existing on the Subantarctic Possession Island, Crozet Islands. Ent Scand 3:275–286
Davies L (1973) Observations on the distribution of surface-living land arthropods on the subantarctic, Ile de la Possession, Iles Crozet. J Nat Hist 7:241–253
Davies L (1987) Long adult life, low reproduction and competition in two sub-Antarctic carabid beetles. Ecol Ent 12:149–162
Dreux Ph, Voisin J-F (1986) Revision du genre Dusmoecetes Jeannel 1940, et description de deux especes et d'une sous-espece nouvelles [Col. Curculionidae Ectemnorrhininae]. Bull Soc Ent Fr 91:27–40
Emden FI van (1952) On the taxonomy of Rhynchophora larvae: Adelognatha and Alophinae. Proc Zool Soc London 122:651–795
Enders F (1976) Size, Food-finding, and Dyar's Constant. Environ Ent 5:1–10
French DD, Smith VR (1985) A Comparison Between Northern and Southern Hemisphere Tundras and Related Ecosystems. Polar Biol 5:5–21
Gremmen NJM (1981) The vegetation of the sub-Antarctic islands Marion and Prince Edward. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, The Hague, p 149
Kirkendall LR, Stenseth NC (1985) On Defining “Breeding Once”. Am Nat 125:189–204
Kuschel G (1971) Curculionidae. In: Van Zinderen Bakker EM, Winterbottom JM, Dyer RA (eds) Marion and Prince Edward Islands; report on the South African biological and geological expedition 1965–1966. AA Balkema, Cape Town, pp 355–359
Lewis Smith RI (1984) Terrestrial Plant Biology. In: Laws RM (ed) Antarctic Ecology. Academic Press, London, pp 61–162
Mattson WJ (1980) Herbivory in Relation to Plant Nitrogen Content. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 11:119–161
Merkel G (1977) The Effects of Temperature and Food Quality on the Larval Development ofGryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera, Gryllidae). Oecologia 30:129–140
Meyer-Arndt S (1984) Growth and Development ofHydromedion sparsatum (Muller) (Coleoptera, Perimylopidae) from South Georgia at Different Temperatures, Polar Biol 3:73–76
Nicolai V, Droste M (1984) The Ecology ofLancetes claussi (Muller) (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), the Subantarctic Water Beetle of South Georgia. Polar Biol 3:39–44
Precht H, Christophersen J, Hensel H, Larcher W (1973) Temperature and Life. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, p 779
Remmert H (1980) Ecology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, p 289
Remmert H (1985) Crickets in Sunshine. Oecologia. 68:29–33
Remmert H (1986) The importance of ecophysiological and experimental research for the understanding of population and ecosystem processes. Proceedings of the 3rd European Congress of Entomology. Universiteitsdrukkerij Utrecht, pp 5–20
Remmert H, Wunderling K (1970) Temperature differences between Arctic and Alpine meadows and their ecological significance. Oecologia 4:208–210
Schramm U (1972) Temperature-Food Interaction in Herbivorous Insects. Oecologia 9:399–402
Schulze BR (1971) The climate of Marion Island. In: Van Zinderen Bakker EM, Winterbottom JM, Dyer RA (eds) Marion and Prince Edward Islands; report on the South African biological and geological expedition 1965–1966. AA Balkema, Cape Town pp 16–31
Scriber JM, Slansky F (1981) The Nutritional Ecology of Immature Insects Ann Rev Entomol 26:183–211
Simberloff D, Boecklen W (1981) Santa Rosalia reconsidered: size ratios and competition. Evolution 35:1206–1228
Smith VR (1977) Notes on the Feeding ofEctemnorrhinus similis Waterhouse (Curculionidae), Adults on Marion Island. Oecologia 29:269–273
Smith VR (1985) Seasonal Dynamics of Standing Crop and Chemical Composition in Marion Island (Sub-Antarctic) Vegetation. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Univ of the Orange Free State
Smith VR (1987) The environment and biota of Marion Island. S Afr J Sci 83:211–220
White TCR (1978) The Importance of a Relative Shortage of Food in Animal Ecology. Oecologia 33:71–86
Zinderen Bakker EM van, Winterbottom JM, Dyer RA (eds) (1971) Marion and Prince Edward Islands; report on the South African biological and geological expedition 1965–1966. AA Balkema Cape Town, p 427
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chown, S.L., Scholtz, C.H. Biology and ecology of theDusmoecetes Jeannel (Col. Curculionidae) species complex on Marion Island. Oecologia 80, 93–99 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00789937
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00789937