Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 55 in total

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  1. Spectacular Batesian mimicry in ants
    Ito F, Hashim R, Huei YS, Kaufmann E, Akino T, Billen J
    Naturwissenschaften, 2004 Oct;91(10):481-4.
    PMID: 15729761
    The mechanism by which palatable species take advantage of their similarity in appearance to those that are unpalatable, in order to avoid predation, is called Batesian mimicry. Several arthropods are thought to be Batesian mimics of social insects; however, social insects that are Batesian mimics among themselves are rare. In Malaysia we found a possible Batesian mimic in an arboreal ant species, Camponotus sp., which was exclusively observed on foraging trails of the myrmicine ant Crematogaster inflata. The bright yellow and black colouring pattern, as well as the walking behaviour, were very similar in both species. We observed general interactions between the two species, and tested their palatability and the significance of the remarkably similar visual colour patterns for predator avoidance. Prey offered to C. inflata was also eaten by Camponotus workers in spite of their being attacked by C. inflata, indicating that Camponotus sp. is a commensal of C. inflata. An experiment with chicks as potential predators suggests that Camponotus sp. is palatable whereas C. inflata is unpalatable. After tasting C. inflata, the chicks no longer attacked Camponotus sp., indicating that Camponotus sp. is a Batesian mimic of Crematogaster inflata.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  2. Defining and measuring trophic role similarity in food webs using regular equivalence
    Luczkovich JJ, Borgatti SP, Johnson JC, Everett MG
    J Theor Biol, 2003 Feb 07;220(3):303-21.
    PMID: 12468282
    We present a graph theoretic model of analysing food web structure called regular equivalence. Regular equivalence is a method for partitioning the species in a food web into "isotrophic classes" that play the same structural roles, even if they are not directly consuming the same prey or if they do not share the same predators. We contrast regular equivalence models, in which two species are members of the same trophic group if they have trophic links to the same set of other trophic groups, with structural equivalence models, in which species are equivalent if they are connected to the exact same other species. Here, the regular equivalence approach is applied to two published food webs: (1) a topological web (Malaysian pitcher plant insect food web) and (2) a carbon-flow web (St. Marks, Florida seagrass ecosystem food web). Regular equivalence produced a more satisfactory set of classes than did the structural approach, grouping basal taxa with other basal taxa and not with top predators. Regular equivalence models provide a way to mathematically formalize trophic position, trophic group and trophic niche. These models are part of a family of models that includes structural models used extensively by ecologists now. Regular equivalence models uncover similarities in trophic roles at a higher level of organization than do the structural models. The approach outlined is useful for measuring the trophic roles of species in food web models, measuring similarity in trophic relations of two or more species, comparing food webs over time and across geographic regions, and aggregating taxa into trophic groups that reduce the complexity of ecosystem feeding relations without obscuring network relationships. In addition, we hope the approach will prove useful in predicting the outcome of predator-prey interactions in experimental studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  3. Ornament size and colour as alternative strategies for effective communication in gliding lizards
    Klomp DA, Ord TJ, Das I, Diesmos A, Ahmad N, Stuart-Fox D
    J Evol Biol, 2016 Sep;29(9):1689-700.
    PMID: 27234454 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12908
    Sexual ornamentation needs to be conspicuous to be effective in attracting potential mates and defending territories and indeed, a multitude of ways exists to achieve this. Two principal mechanisms for increasing conspicuousness are to increase the ornament's colour or brightness contrast against the background and to increase the size of the ornament. We assessed the relationship between the colour and size of the dewlap, a large extendible throat-fan, across a range of species of gliding lizards (Agamidae; genus Draco) from Malaysia and the Philippines. We found a negative relationship across species between colour contrast against the background and dewlap size in males, but not in females, suggesting that males of different species use increasing colour contrast and dewlap size as alternative strategies for effective communication. Male dewlap size also increases with increasing sexual size dimorphism, and dewlap colour and brightness contrast increase with increasing sexual dichromatism in colour and brightness, respectively, suggesting that sexual selection may act on both dewlap size and colour. We further found evidence that relative predation intensity, as measured from predator attacks on models placed in the field, may play a role in the choice of strategy (high chromatic contrast or large dewlap area) a species employs. More broadly, these results highlight that each component in a signal (such as colour or size) may be influenced by different selection pressures and that by assessing components individually, we can gain a greater understanding of the evolution of signal diversity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  4. Diurnal-activity Patterns of the Small Bee-eater (Merops orientalis) in Southern India
    Ali AH, Asokan S
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2015 Apr;26(1):9-20.
    PMID: 26868589
    The diurnal time-activity patterns of the Small Bee-eater (Merops orientalis) were studied between 2005 and 2006 in the Nagapattinam District of Southern India. Bee-eaters were observed to spend an average of 52.5% of their day time scanning, 21.3% feeding, 13.3% flying, 8.8% resting and 4.1% engaging in preening activities. The time spent on scanning varied among seasons in 2005 (p<0.05) and among time blocks (p<0.05), but it did not vary among years or habitats (p>0.05). The feeding patterns differed among years, seasons within years, time blocks and habitats (p<0.05). The flying habits varied among years, time blocks and habitats (p<0.05) but did not change between seasons within years (p>0.05). The resting habits differed among years and habitats (p<0.05) but did not differ among seasons within years or time blocks (p>0.05). Preening differed among years and time blocks (p<0.05) but did not vary among seasons within years or habitats (p>0.05). We conclude that several factors, such as food availability, environmental factors and predation threats, may affect the diurnal activity patterns of Bee-eaters between habitats and seasons; a further study could clarify this conclusion.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  5. Fulltext Bat Assemblage in an Oil Palm Plantation from the Colombian Llanos Foothills
    Cely-Gómez MA, Castillo-Figueroa D, Pérez-Torres J
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2021 Mar;32(1):47-61.
    PMID: 33936550 DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2021.32.1.3
    The surge of oil palm production in the Neotropics has become a major concern about the potential impacts on biodiversity. In the Colombian Orinoquia, which has shown a massive landscape transformation due to the growth of oil palm plantations, the effects of oil palm agriculture on bats in this region have not been studied up to date. To understand the impact of habitat conversion on bat diversity, we characterised bat assemblages in secondary forest and palm plantations in the Colombian Llanos foothills (Meta, Colombia). We captured 393 individuals (forest = 81, plantation = 312) of 18 species and 3 families. The forest cover presented three exclusive species while the plantation had five. Species diversity (q1) and evenness (J') were higher in the forest compared to the plantation. These differences derived from the increase in abundances of generalist species (Artibeus sp., Carollia spp.) in the plantation. Despite the habitat simplification caused by oil palm plantations, this monoculture provides a cover that is used by some bats, decreasing their risk of predation and allowing movement between patches of forest habitat as steppingstones. Maintaining forest cover in agricultural landscapes favours diversity by generating a "spillover effect" of the forest towards plantations, which in the case of some bats contributes to the reduction of species isolation and the maintenance of ecosystem services provided by them. It is important to improve management practices of oil palm plantations to minimise negative impacts on biodiversity, considering the expansion of this productive system and the scarcity of protected areas in this region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  6. Impacts of 2 species of predatory Reduviidae on bagworms in oil palm plantations
    Jamian S, Norhisham A, Ghazali A, Zakaria A, Azhar B
    Insect Sci, 2017 Apr;24(2):285-294.
    PMID: 26712127 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12309
    Integrated pest management (IPM) is widely practiced in commercial oil palm agriculture. This management system is intended to minimize the number of attacks by pest insects such as bagworms on crops, as well as curb economic loss with less dependency on chemical pesticides. One practice in IPM is the use of biological control agents such as predatory insects. In this study, we assessed the response of predatory natural enemies to pest outbreak and water stress, and document the habitat associations of potential pest predators. The abundances of 2 predatory insect species, namely Sycanus dichotomus and Cosmolestes picticeps (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), were compared bagworm outbreak sites and nonoutbreak sites within oil palm plantations. We also examined habitat characteristics that influence the abundances of both predatory species. We found that the abundance of C. picticeps was significantly higher in bagworm outbreak sites than in nonoutbreak sites. There were no significant differences in the abundance of S. dichotomus among outbreak and non-outbreak sites. Both species responded negatively to water stress in oil palm plantations. Concerning the relationship between predatory insect abundance and in situ habitat quality characteristics, our models explained 46.36% of variation for C. picticeps and 23.17% of variation for S. dichotomus. Both species of predatory insects thrived from the planting of multiple beneficial plants in oil palm plantations. The results suggest that C. picticeps can be used as a biological agent to control bagworm populations in oil palm plantations, but S. dichotomus has no or little potential for such ecosystem service.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  7. Cyclomorphism in Bosmina Longirostris (crustacea: cladocera) from Lake Ikeda, Japan
    Shaharudin Abdul Razak, Saisho T
    Sains Malaysiana, 2011;40:1179-1186.
    Zooplankton were sampled in Lake Ikeda at a fixed station every month with the aid of a plankton net in order to observe whether cyclomorphism was exhibited by the neonates of Bosmina longirostris. In Lake Ikeda the relative sizes of the antennules and mucrones of B. longrostris neonates decreased in relation to carapace length from 65% in winter to 50% in summer. Mucrone lengths also decreased from 30% in winter to 20% in summer. Both appendages were inversely correlated with surface temperature of the lake. Predation seems to be one of the reasons why neonates of B. longirostris exhibited seasonal cyclomorphism in their antennule and mucrone.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  8. Fulltext Recovery planning towards doubling wild tiger Panthera tigris numbers: Detailing 18 recovery sites from across the range
    Harihar A, Chanchani P, Borah J, Crouthers RJ, Darman Y, Gray TNE, et al.
    PLoS One, 2018;13(11):e0207114.
    PMID: 30408090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207114
    With less than 3200 wild tigers in 2010, the heads of 13 tiger-range countries committed to doubling the global population of wild tigers by 2022. This goal represents the highest level of ambition and commitment required to turn the tide for tigers in the wild. Yet, ensuring efficient and targeted implementation of conservation actions alongside systematic monitoring of progress towards this goal requires that we set site-specific recovery targets and timelines that are ecologically realistic. In this study, we assess the recovery potential of 18 sites identified under WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative. We delineated recovery systems comprising a source, recovery site, and support region, which need to be managed synergistically to meet these targets. By using the best available data on tiger and prey numbers, and adapting existing species recovery frameworks, we show that these sites, which currently support 165 (118-277) tigers, have the potential to harbour 585 (454-739) individuals. This would constitute a 15% increase in the global population and represent over a three-fold increase within these specific sites, on an average. However, it may not be realistic to achieve this target by 2022, since tiger recovery in 15 of these 18 sites is contingent on the initial recovery of prey populations, which is a slow process. We conclude that while sustained conservation efforts can yield significant recoveries, it is critical that we commit our resources to achieving the biologically realistic targets for these sites even if the timelines are extended.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  9. Predicting how defaunation-induced changes in seed predation and dispersal will affect tropical tree populations
    Williams PJ, Brodie JF
    Conserv Biol, 2023 Apr;37(2):e14014.
    PMID: 36178021 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14014
    The loss of large animals due to overhunting and habitat loss potentially affects tropical tree populations and carbon cycling. Trees reliant on large-bodied seed dispersers are thought to be particularly negatively affected by defaunation. But besides seed dispersal, defaunation can also increase or decrease seed predation. It remains unclear how these different defaunation effects on early life stages ultimately affect tree population dynamics. We reviewed the literature on how tropical animal loss affects different plant life stages, and we conducted a meta-analysis of how defaunation affects seed predation. We used this information to parameterize models that altered matrix projection models from a suite of tree species to simulate defaunation-caused changes in seed dispersal and predation. We assessed how applying these defaunation effects affected population growth rates. On average, population-level effects of defaunation were negligible, suggesting that defaunation may not cause the massive reductions in forest carbon storage that have been predicted. In contrast to previous hypotheses, we did not detect an effect of seed size on changes in seed predation rates. The change in seed predation did not differ significantly between exclosure experiments and observational studies, although the results of observational studies were far more variable. Although defaunation surely affects certain tree taxa, species that benefit or are harmed by it and net changes in forest carbon storage cannot currently be predicted based on available data. Further research on how factors such as seed predation vary across tree species and defaunation scenarios is necessary for understanding cascading changes in species composition and diversity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  10. A novel mechanism measurement of predator interference in predator-prey models
    Alebraheem J, Abu-Hassan Y
    J Math Biol, 2023 Apr 27;86(5):84.
    PMID: 37103566 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-023-01914-8
    A characteristic of ecosystems is the existence of manifold of independencies which are highly complex. Various mathematical models have made considerable contributions in gaining a better understanding of the predator-prey interactions. The main components of any predator-prey models are, firstly, how the different population classes grow and secondly, how the prey and predator interacts. In this paper, the two populations' growth rates obey the logistic law and the carrying capacity of the predator depends on the available number of prey are considered. Our aim is to clarify the relationship between models and Holling types functional and numerical responses in order to gain insights into predator interferences and to answer an important question how competition is carried out. We consider a predator-prey model and a two-predator one-prey model to explain the idea. The novel approach is explained for the mechanism measurement of predator interference through depending on numerical response. Our approach gives good correspondence between an important real data and computer simulations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  11. Postnatal growth rates covary weakly with embryonic development rates and do not explain adult mortality probability among songbirds on four continents
    Martin TE, Oteyza JC, Mitchell AE, Potticary AL, Lloyd P
    Am Nat, 2015 Mar;185(3):380-9.
    PMID: 25674692 DOI: 10.1086/679612
    Growth and development rates may result from genetic programming of intrinsic processes that yield correlated rates between life stages. These intrinsic rates are thought to affect adult mortality probability and longevity. However, if proximate extrinsic factors (e.g., temperature, food) influence development rates differently between stages and yield low covariance between stages, then development rates may not explain adult mortality probability. We examined these issues based on study of 90 songbird species on four continents to capture the diverse life-history strategies observed across geographic space. The length of the embryonic period explained little variation (ca. 13%) in nestling periods and growth rates among species. This low covariance suggests that the relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic influences on growth and development rates differs between stages. Consequently, nestling period durations and nestling growth rates were not related to annual adult mortality probability among diverse songbird species within or among sites. The absence of a clear effect of faster growth on adult mortality when examined in an evolutionary framework across species may indicate that species that evolve faster growth also evolve physiological mechanisms for ameliorating costs on adult mortality. Instead, adult mortality rates of species in the wild may be determined more strongly by extrinsic environmental causes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior/physiology
  12. Calcium is required for ixotrophy of Aureispira sp. CCB-QB1
    Furusawa G, Hartzell PL, Navaratnam V
    Microbiology (Reading), 2015 Oct;161(10):1933-1941.
    PMID: 26306656 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000158
    Ixotrophy is a process that enables certain microbes to prey on other cells. The ability of cells to aggregate or adhere is thought to be a significant initial step in ixotrophy. The gliding, multicellular filamentous bacterium Aureispira sp. CCB-QB1 belongs to the family Saprospiraceae and preys on bacteria such as Vibrio sp. in seawater. Adhesion and cell aggregation were coincident with preying and were hypothesized to play an important role in the ixotrophy in this bacterium. To test this hypothesis, experiments to elucidate the mechanisms of aggregation or adhesion in this bacterium were performed. The ability of Aureispira QB1 to adhere and aggregate to prey bacterium, Vibrio sp., required divalent cations, especially calcium ions. In the presence of calcium, Aureispira QB1 cells captured 99 % of Vibrio sp. cells after 60 min of incubation. Toluidine blue O, which binds acidic polysaccharides, bound to Aureispira QB1 and inhibited adhesion of Aureispira QB1. These results suggest that acidic polysaccharides are needed for aggregation or adhesion of Aureispira and that calcium ions play a significant role in these phenomena.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior*
  13. Fulltext Influence of container design on predation rate of potential biocontrol agent, Toxorhynchites splendens (Diptera: Culicidae) against dengue vector
    Mohamad N, Zuharah WF
    Trop Biomed, 2014 Mar;31(1):166-73.
    PMID: 24862057 MyJurnal
    Toxorhynchites splendens larvae are a natural predator of dengue vector mosquito larvae, Aedes albopictus. This study was carried out to evaluate the predation rate of Tx. splendens third instar larvae on Ae. albopictus larvae in 24 h. Each predator was offered prey at a density between 10 to 50 individuals. Predation rate of Tx. splendens were also tested with two manipulated factors; various types of container and different water volumes. The experiment was evaluated in man-made containers (tin cans, plastic drinking glasses and rubber tires) and natural container (bamboo stumps) which were filled with different water volumes (full, half full, 1/4 full, and 1/8 full). The prey density and the characteristics of the container were found as significant factors which influence the predation rate of Tx. splendens. The predator consumed significantly more prey at higher prey densities (40 and 50 preys) compared to the lowest density (10 preys) (F=3.935, df=4, p=0.008). The results showed significantly higher consumption in horizontal shaped container of rubber tire than in vertical shape of bamboo stumps (F=3.100, df=3, p=0.029). However, the water volume had no significant effect on predation rate of Tx. splendens (F=1.736, df=3, p=0.162). We generally suggest that Tx. splendens is best to be released in discarded tires or any other containers with horizontal shape design with wide opening since Tx. splendens can become more effective in searching prey in this type of container design. This predator is also a suitable biocontrol candidates to be introduced either in wet and dry seasons in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior/physiology*
  14. Fulltext Fungi and insects compensate for lost vertebrate seed predation in an experimentally defaunated tropical forest
    Williams PJ, Ong RC, Brodie JF, Luskin MS
    Nat Commun, 2021 Mar 12;12(1):1650.
    PMID: 33712621 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21978-8
    Overhunting reduces important plant-animal interactions such as vertebrate seed dispersal and seed predation, thereby altering plant regeneration and even above-ground biomass. It remains unclear, however, if non-hunted species can compensate for lost vertebrates in defaunated ecosystems. We use a nested exclusion experiment to isolate the effects of different seed enemies in a Bornean rainforest. In four of five tree species, vertebrates kill many seeds (13-66%). Nonetheless, when large mammals are excluded, seed mortality from insects and fungi fully compensates for the lost vertebrate predation, such that defaunation has no effect on seedling establishment. The switch from seed predation by generalist vertebrates to specialist insects and fungi in defaunated systems may alter Janzen-Connell effects and density-dependence in plants. Previous work using simulation models to explore how lost seed dispersal will affect tree species composition and carbon storage may require reevaluation in the context of functional redundancy within complex species interactions networks.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior/physiology*
  15. Rapid biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using Crotalaria verrucosa leaves against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti: what happens around? An analysis of dragonfly predatory behaviour after exposure at ultra-low doses
    Murugan K, Sanoopa CP, Madhiyazhagan P, Dinesh D, Subramaniam J, Panneerselvam C, et al.
    Nat Prod Res, 2016 Apr;30(7):826-33.
    PMID: 26284510 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2015.1074230
    Aedes aegypti is a primary vector of dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease infecting 50-100 million people every year. Here, we biosynthesised mosquitocidal silver nanoparticles (AgNP) using the aqueous leaf extract of Crotalaria verrucosa. The green synthesis of AgNP was studied by UV-vis spectroscopy, SEM, EDX and FTIR. C. verrucosa-synthesised AgNPs were toxic against A. aegypti larvae and pupae. LC50 of AgNP ranged from 3.496 ppm (I instar larvae) to 17.700 ppm (pupae). Furthermore, we evaluated the predatory efficiency of dragonfly nymphs, Brachydiplax sobrina, against II and III instar larvae of A. aegypti in an aquatic environment contaminated with ultra-low doses of AgNP. Under standard laboratory conditions, predation after 24 h was 87.5% (II) and 54.7% (III). In an AgNP-contaminated environment, predation was 91 and 75.5%, respectively. Overall, C. verrucosa-synthesised AgNP could be employed at ultra-low doses to reduce larval population of dengue vectors enhancing predation rates of dragonfly nymphs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  16. Spatial Ecology of Asian Water Monitors Adjacent to a Sea Turtle Nesting Beach
    Lei J, Booth DT, Rusli MU, Zhang Z
    Zoolog Sci, 2021 Feb;38(1):1-7.
    PMID: 33639712 DOI: 10.2108/zs200071
    Nest predation is the main cause of hatching failure for many turtle populations. For green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting at Chagar Hutang in Redang Island, Malaysia, Asian water monitors (Varanus salvator) are a potential nest predator. However, no studies have documented the space use of this species in coastal habitat adjacent to a sea turtle nesting beach to assess its potential impact on turtle nests. Here, we used Global Positioning System (GPS) data loggers to quantify space use of Asian water monitors in order to establish the extent to which they use sea turtle nesting areas. Asian water monitors had a diurnal activity pattern and spent most of their time in rain forest habitat behind the sea turtle nesting beach. The home range occupied by Asian water monitors varied between 0.015 and 0.198 km2 calculated by the Kernel Brownian Bridge method. The space use patterns of individual Asian water monitors varied between individuals. Two males had relatively small home ranges, whereas one male and the female had a relatively large home range. Because tracked Asian water monitors in this study rarely visited the sea turtle nesting areas, it is probable that only a few individuals are responsible for opening nests.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  17. Ant-termite interactions: an important but under-explored ecological linkage
    Tuma J, Eggleton P, Fayle TM
    Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc, 2020 06;95(3):555-572.
    PMID: 31876057 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12577
    Animal interactions play an important role in understanding ecological processes. The nature and intensity of these interactions can shape the impacts of organisms on their environment. Because ants and termites, with their high biomass and range of ecological functions, have considerable effects on their environment, the interaction between them is important for ecosystem processes. Although the manner in which ants and termites interact is becoming increasingly well studied, there has been no synthesis to date of the available literature. Here we review and synthesise all existing literature on ant-termite interactions. We infer that ant predation on termites is the most important, most widespread, and most studied type of interaction. Predatory ant species can regulate termite populations and subsequently slow down the decomposition of wood, litter and soil organic matter. As a consequence they also affect plant growth and distribution, nutrient cycling and nutrient availability. Although some ant species are specialised termite predators, there is probably a high level of opportunistic predation by generalist ant species, and hence their impact on ecosystem processes that termites are known to provide varies at the species level. The most fruitful future research direction will be to evaluate the impact of ant-termite predation on broader ecosystem processes. To do this it will be necessary to quantify the efficacy both of particular ant species and of ant communities as a whole in regulating termite populations in different biomes. We envisage that this work will require a combination of methods, including DNA barcoding of ant gut contents along with field observations and exclusion experiments. Such a combined approach is necessary for assessing how this interaction influences entire ecosystems.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  18. Spider (Araneae) predations on white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera in subtropical rice ecosystems, China
    Wang XQ, Wang GH, Zhu ZR, Tang QY, Hu Y, Qiao F, et al.
    Pest Manag Sci, 2017 Jun;73(6):1277-1286.
    PMID: 27739189 DOI: 10.1002/ps.4459
    BACKGROUND: Spiders are effective biological control agents in rice ecosystems, but the comparative study of predations among main spider species under field conditions has not been fully explored owing to a lack of practical methodology. In this study, more than 6000 spiders of dominant species were collected from subtropical rice ecosystems to compare their predations on Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (white-backed planthopper, WBPH) using DNA-based gut content analysis.

    RESULTS: The positive rates for all spider taxa were closely related to prey densities, as well as their behaviors and niches. The relationships of positive rates to prey planthopper densities for Pardosa pseudoannulata (Böes. et Str.), Coleosoma octomaculata (Böes. et Str.), Tetragnatha maxillosa Thorell and Ummeliata insecticeps (Böes. et Str.) under field conditions could be described using saturated response curves. Quantitative comparisons of predations among the four spider species confirmed that P. pseudoannulata and C. octomaculata were more rapacious than U. insecticeps and T. maxillosa under field conditions. A comparison of ratio of spiders to WBPH and positive rates between fields revealed that biological control by spiders could be effectively integrated with variety resistance.

    CONCLUSION: Generalist spiders could follow up WBPH population timely, and assemblages of spiders coupled with variety resistance could effectively suppress WBPH population. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  19. Fulltext Field observation on the efficacy of Toxorhynchites splendens (Wiedemann) as a biocontrol agent against Aedes albopictus (Skuse) larvae in a cemetery
    Nyamah MA, Sulaiman S, Omar B
    Trop Biomed, 2011 Aug;28(2):312-9.
    PMID: 22041750
    This study explored the efficacy of Toxorhynchites splendens, predator of Aedes albopictus as a biocontrol agent. There was a negative correlation between Ae. albopictus larval population and Tx. splendens larval population in ovitraps (r=-0.287, R²=0.0821). The correlation is higher between the mean number of Ae. albopictus larvae per ovitrap and the number of Tx. splendens larvae in an ovitrap (r=-0.987, R²=0.9737). Larvae of Tx. splendens were observed to co-exist with larvae of Ae. albopictus and Culex fuscocephala in the ovitraps placed in the study area. The existence of Tx. splendens larvae in the study area coincides with their habit, preferring to breed in bamboo stumps. A total of 480 ovitraps were inspected for 30-week study period and 281 ovitraps were positive with Ae. albopictus larvae respectively. There was a significant difference between numbers of ovitrap positive for Ae. albopictus larvae with number of Tx. splendens larvae in the ovitraps (ANOVA, F((4,475)) 2.655, p<0.05). Of 281 ovitraps positive with Ae. albopictus larvae, 255 ovitraps contained only one Tx. splendens larva each. Only one ovitrap contained four, the most number of Tx. splendens larvae (p< 0.05). Thus, Tx. splendens could be utilised as an alternative for dengue vector control programme.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
  20. Review of Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Diptera: Muscidae) as a useful tool in forensic entomology
    Ivorra T, Martínez-Sánchez A, Rojo S
    Int J Legal Med, 2021 Sep;135(5):2003-2015.
    PMID: 33738569 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02543-w
    Synthesiomyia nudiseta (van der Wulp, 1883) is a synanthropic muscid found in tropical and subtropical zones around the world. The larvae of this species are a secondary agent of myiasis with necrophagous habits and play an important role in forensic entomology, as they are used as an indicator of post-mortem interval. Adults can be considered vectors of etiological agents such as Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae. Due to its ability to adapt to different environmental conditions, its high dispersal capacity (shown by its introduction to Europe), its predatory habits in the last larval stage and the difficulty of identifying it, a very important goal is to update our knowledge about this species. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to review the identification, geographical distribution and biology of this species in order to provide better support to investigations involving this fly.
    Matched MeSH terms: Predatory Behavior
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