ISSN:
1432-1939
Keywords:
Diet specialization
;
Host plant chemistry
;
Lepidoptera
;
Paraponera clavata
;
Predation
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract To evaluate the role of predation in the evolution of diet specialization and to determine the effectiveness of various larval defenses, we offered lepidopteran larvae to colonies of the tropical ant Paraponera clavata. We recorded behavioral and physical characteristics of prey items and used log-linear models to analyze their importance as deterrents to predation by P. clavata. The most important determinant of probability of prey rejection by P. clavata was a prey's diet breadth; specialists were rejected by the ants significantly more than generalists. Other less important, but significant, predictors of prey rejection included ontogeny, morphology and chemistry. Late instar caterpillars were rejected more frequently than early instars, hairy caterpillars were rejected more frequently than caterpillars with other morphologies, and one caterpillar species with an unpalatable extract was rejected more frequently than two species with palatable extracts.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00320516
