甘氨酸和赤藓糖醇胶饵对红火蚁工蚁的毒杀效果

前期研究发现甘氨酸和赤藓糖醇对红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren有较好的毒杀效果,为进一步挖掘这两种物质的实际应用价值,在室内测试了甘氨酸和赤藓糖醇不同浓度配比的水溶液及胶状饵剂对红火蚁工蚁的毒杀效果.结果显示,20％的配比为1∶3、3∶1的赤藓糖醇和甘氨酸溶液喂饲48 h红火蚁工蚁的死亡率分别为83.1％和84.93％,而72h后,死亡率分别为95.07％和95.21％,与取食茚虫威饵剂的工蚁死亡率(48 h:92.57％;72 h:100％)无显著差异.20％的配比为1∶3、3∶1的赤藓糖醇和甘氨酸水凝胶颗粒喂饲48 h红火蚁工蚁的死亡率分别为58.94％和55.05％,而72 h后,死亡率分别为85.11％和80.05％,显著低于取食茚虫威饵剂的工蚁死亡率(48 h:95.71％;72 h:99.59％).研究结果为进一步利用开发红火蚁环保型饵剂提供参考.     

华南地区典型生境中红火蚁觅食行为及工蚁召集规律

观察研究了华南地区几种典型生境中红火蚁对不同类型食物的觅食行为和工蚁召集动态规律。研究结果表明红火蚁觅食行为存在搜寻、召集及搬运等主要过程。不同生境中红火蚁对食物的搜寻时间存在一定差异,荔枝园中搜寻时间明显长于其它生境;荔枝园、荒地、路边生境中红火蚁对蜂蜜的搜寻时间明显长于其它几种食物;同一生境中红火蚁对不同重量的同种食物搜寻时间无明显变化。发现食物后召集的工蚁数量随着时间延长呈现不断增加的趋势,对于较大的食物一般30min左右召集的工蚁数量达到最大,之后趋于稳定并逐渐减少,而对于可以直接搬动的食物发现后15min左右群体召集数量达到最大并很快将其搬走。召集工蚁数量与发现后时间的关系符合二次非线性方程,建立了火腿肠、花生油和蜂蜜等食物上红火蚁工蚁召集数量与发现时间的关系模型,分别为Na=4183.91e^-0.0327T-4231.48e^-0.0346T,Na=3253.78e^-0.0233T-3314.59e^-0.0271T,Na=117.97e^-0.0131T-163.93e^-0.0808T。对于不同食物红火蚁发现后召集的最大工蚁数量间有明显差异,其中花生油上最大,平均为176．3头,火腿肠上次之,为90．4头,蜂蜜上最少,为68．0头。对于不同重量的同种食物,工蚁的召集动态规律较为一致,发现食物后25-30min左右工蚁的召集数量均达到最大值,之后缓慢减少,发现食物后时间长度和食物上工蚁数量也符合房室模型函数Na=c1×exp（-c2T）-c3×exp（-c4T）。同种食物不同重量之间同一时间召集的工蚁数量存在较大差异,呈随食物重量增大而增大趋势。不同生境中对相同质量同种食物工蚁召集数量动态总体变化规律相近,但在发现食物后工蚁数量增长的速度和最大召集工蚁的数量存在明显差异,以路边工蚁数量增长最快、工蚁总数最多,苗圃次之,荔枝园、荒地中工蚁增长速度均较低。红火蚁对不同食物种类切割、搬运耗时存在很大差异,搬运完0．5g的火腿肠需要26．23h,而黄粉虫幼虫（重量约为0．1g）仅为15．6min。不同生境中红火蚁对相同重量同一种食物的搬运耗时也不同,荔枝园要长于其它生境。     

红火蚁工蚁对颜色信号的选择与利用

为探明红火蚁Solenopsis invicta工蚁对颜色信号的选择与利用,本研究测定了不同颜色色卡对工蚁的趋向行为以及不同颜色饵料对工蚁觅食行为的影响,以期为红火蚁的高效监测与防控提供重要基础。结果表明颜色显著影响了红火蚁工蚁的趋向行为,黑色对工蚁的引诱率最高,可达32%;黄色对工蚁的引诱率最低,仅为7%。研究也发现不同颜色的饵料显著影响了红火蚁工蚁的觅食。在5 min时间内,工蚁在黄色、绿色以及蓝色饵料上觅食的数量最多,显著高于在紫色和黑色上饵料的觅食工蚁数;工蚁对红色、橙色、黄色、绿色、蓝色饵料的搬运量最大,显著高于紫色与黑色的饵料。综上,红火蚁工蚁可以识别与利用颜色信号,在制备红火蚁监测与防控饵剂时,可以考虑将饵剂染色红、橙、黄、绿、蓝等反射波长较长的颜色,以便工蚁能快速定位到饵剂并搬运更多的饵剂到蚁巢中。     

扶桑绵粉蚧及其蜜露对红火蚁的召集作用

为了明确扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley及其蜜露对红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren的召集作用,利用双向选择诱集装置测定了扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫及其分泌蜜露对红火蚁工蚁的诱集数量动态。结果表明：（1）蜜露对红火蚁工蚁具有强烈的召集作用,不管扶桑绵粉蚧存在与否,均可在10~20 min出现觅食工蚁的数量高峰,之后随着蜜露量减少,觅食工蚁诱集数量也逐渐降低,明显高于对照;（2）仅有扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫存在时,红火蚁觅食工蚁数量呈现逐渐增加的趋势,50 min才达到数量高峰,之后无明显下降趋势;（3）对比蜜露和雌成虫对红火蚁工蚁的诱集结果发现,蜜露对红火蚁工蚁的召集作用明显较强,10 min即可出现91.50头的觅食工蚁数量高峰,而雌成虫对红火蚁的诱集量较低,诱集高峰出现在42 min,诱集量仅为39.17头。因此,扶桑绵粉蚧及其蜜露均对红火蚁工蚁具有一定的召集作用,蜜露的召集作用明显较强,而雌成虫的召集作用较为稳定,未随着时间延长出现明显下降。     

红火蚁入侵和未入侵生境中蚂蚁的觅食强度

采用诱饵诱集法,对华南地区3种典型的红火蚁入侵和未入侵生境中蚂蚁对4种诱饵（蜂蜜、花生油、火腿肠和黄粉虫幼虫）的搜寻时间、召集时间及召集数量进行研究,并分析了红火蚁入侵对蚂蚁觅食强度的影响.结果表明：草坪红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对黄粉虫幼虫和花生油的搜寻时间极显著或显著短于对照区（红火蚁非入侵区）;荒草地红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对4种诱饵的搜寻时间与对照区的差异均不显著,在花生油上的召集时间显著长于对照区;荔枝园红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对4种诱饵的搜寻时间及召集时间与对照区均无显著差异.诱饵设置30 min时,草坪红火蚁入侵区,花生油、黄粉虫幼虫、火腿肠上的红火蚁工蚁数量均显著多于本地蚂蚁工蚁数量;荒草地红火蚁入侵区,花生油上的红火蚁工蚁数量明显多于本地蚂蚁工蚁数量,其余诱饵上红火蚁工蚁数量与本地蚂蚁工蚁数量的差异不显著;荔枝园红火蚁入侵区,4种诱饵上红火蚁工蚁数量与本地蚂蚁工蚁数量的差异均不显著.     

红火蚁搬尸信号物质的初步研究

蚂蚁死亡后在密闭、潮湿的巢穴环境内非常容易滋生病原菌,威胁巢穴健康。为了防止尸体的存在危害健康个体,工蚁识别尸体上的“死亡信号”并将其搬离巢穴。本研究采用溶剂提取法提取工蚁尸体化合物,并利用化学方法转化尸体提取物,然后测试红火蚁Solenopsis invicta工蚁对4种主要提取成分——酯、脂肪酸、表皮碳氢化合物以及哌啶生物碱的行为反应。结果表明,红火蚁尸体的正己烷提取物具有很强的搬尸活性,高达76%的滤纸条被搬运到弃尸堆。酯、自由脂肪酸和结合态脂肪酸都能引起红火蚁的搬尸行为,搬尸活性分别为40%、28%和19%。自由脂肪酸转化成甲酯后搬尸活性不变,但结合态脂肪酸转化成甲酯后搬尸活性丧失。此外,红火蚁尸体还释放出多种能够诱导搬尸行为的未知成分,说明“死亡信号”具有复杂性。     

红火蚁弃尸堆的食物结构

通过对红火蚁弃尸堆进行收集、整理、鉴定和分析,研究了自然条件下华南地区典型生境中红火蚁食物结构的季节性变化.结果表明:红火蚁弃尸堆中主要包括了8个目的昆虫和种子共41个种类.其中鞘翅目Coleoptera昆虫的出现频率最高,在4个生境荔枝园、苗圃、荒地、公路路边中分别为69.05%、41.7%、51.8%和66.67%;同翅目Homoptera昆虫出现频率最低,只在荒地中发现占1.20%.其余依次为膜翅目Hymenoptera(14.92%)、半翅目Hemiptera(11.96%)、种子(11.66%)、直翅目Orthoptera(2.08%)、鳞翅目Lepidoptera(0.60%)、等翅目Isoptera(0.60%)和蜻蜓目Odonata(0.60%).弃尸堆中的昆虫碎片以成虫为主,蛹和幼虫较少.不同生境弃尸堆内红火蚁觅食对象的种类虽然较为接近,但在组成与数量上存在差异,其相似度不高.弃尸堆中红火蚁觅食对象的种类和碎片数随着时间呈现明显的变动,上半年的4、5月份和下半年9、10月份红火蚁的觅食到的对象多样性丰富,这两个阶段属于觅食活跃期.     

热处理对红火蚁工蚁的致死效果评估

热处理作为一种无污染、无残留、环境友好型防治措施,在红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren（Hymenoptera：Formicidae）防控中具有广阔的应用前景。然而,目前有关热处理对红火蚁防治效果的研究相对较少,致死温度和致死时间的最佳组合仍值得进一步探究。为此,本研究在实验室条件下,采用干热（45.5、46、46.5、47、47.5、48、49、50和51℃）和热水（41、41.5、42.5、43、45、46、47和48℃）处理红火蚁工蚁0.5~5 min,记录工蚁的击倒率、及处理后12 h的存活情况。结果显示,热处理温度越高、时间越长,红火蚁工蚁的击倒率和死亡率越高。干热处理过程中,48℃高温处理4 min、49℃高温处理3 min、50或51℃高温处理2 min均可杀死100%的工蚁。采用热水处理时,45或46℃热水处理5 min、48℃热水处理2 min便可杀死全部的工蚁。因此,作为一种安全、高效的物理防治措施,热处理可用于红火蚁的有效防控。     

红火蚁工蚁对绿僵菌侵染蛹的防御行为

研究了红火蚁工蚁感染绿僵菌后在蛹室的行为变化,以及健康工蚁对侵染蛹的行为保护机制.结果表明: 工蚁被绿僵菌侵染后,在蛹室的活动时间逐渐减少,由第1天的103.4 s降至第3天的38.5 s;而且育幼时间占蛹室活动时间的比例也下降,由第1天的13.6%降至第3天的3.5%.当蛹被绿僵菌侵染后,工蚁对侵染蛹的梳理总时间为对照组的5.3倍,每次梳理的平均持续时间为对照组的5.2倍.梳理行为能显著减少侵染蛹的体表分生孢子数量,在无工蚁、2只工蚁和10只工蚁存在条件下,蛹体表平均孢子数分别为103.1、51.6和31.3个.工蚁的存在能抑制蛹体表孢子的萌发,处理20 h后,无工蚁、2只工蚁和10只工蚁存在条件下,蛹体表孢子萌发率分别为95.1%、80.4%和59.9%.蛹的羽化率随着工蚁数量增加显著升高.红火蚁工蚁通过社会行为防御病原真菌侵染蛹的策略为种群的延续和发展提供了保障.     

昆明市呈贡区红火蚁工蚁消长动态及防控适期

红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren是我国重要的入侵害虫,2003年10月我国台湾发现其发生,2004年9月广东吴川也发现其危害,其后16年发生范围迅速扩大,已经入侵15个省区并具明显扩散趋势,给入侵区生产、生活造成严重的负面影响.2013年10月云南省首次在元谋县发现红火蚁入侵,其后相继在昆明、玉溪、丽江、临沧、文山等地发现其危害.为明确新入侵区红火蚁的发生规律,为其防治提供科学依据,本文采用诱饵诱集法系统调查了云南省昆明市呈贡区红火蚁工蚁年发生动态,并分析了工蚁觅食强度与温度、降雨的关系.结果表明,该地区工蚁动态表现为双峰型,即年内出现两个明显盛期,分别在7-8月和10-11月,其具体动态为1-5月觅食工蚁数量少,数量增长缓慢,6-7月逐渐增加,8月觅食工蚁数量达到最大,平均每个诱集瓶可以诱集294头,而后减少;10-11月又进入一个盛期,12月又开始减少.全年中2月份红火蚁最少,平均诱集工蚁数量为15头/瓶.通过对温度、降雨量与捕获到工蚁的数量进行相关性分析,发现温度、降雨量均与捕获工蚁数量存在显著相关性.以气温25℃或者地面温度21℃作为标准提出,4月下旬-8月下旬为昆明地区应用饵剂防控红火蚁最适温度时间范围.     

Comparison of black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and domestic ferret (M. putorius furo) courtship activity

Because of the scarcity of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and the amount of knowledge necessary for their conservation, surrogate research can play an important role in recovery. In this paper, we investigate surrogate behavioral research potential by comparing courtship behavior of the black-footed ferret to the congeneric domestic ferret (M. putorius furo). Ten female domestic ferrets were bred to five male domestic ferrets and eight female black-footed ferrets were bred to five black-footed ferret males. Courtship activities were defined, analyzed, and quantitatively compared between both groups. Lag sequential analysis of was used to prepare the behavioral matrices, and matrix cells were compared between groups with an equality of proportions test. Courtship patterns did not differ significantly between the two closely related species, and the domestic ferret would probably be an adequate surrogate for reproductive behavior research on the black-footed ferret.     

Vigilance during play in squirrel monkeys

Play by young squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) may put them and other troop members at risk for predation because youngsters are noisy, separated from adults, and not vigilant when at play. In a study using separated groups of adults and 1-year-old juveniles caged outdoors, we found that adult female squirrel monkeys become more vigilant during periods of spontaneous play among juveniles. This behavioral response could be obtained with auditory cues (play vocalizations) alone. Five times as much vigilance activity was directed toward an area from which threat or disturbance was likely to come as was directed toward the juveniles themselves. These results suggest both an adaptive, compensatory increase in adult vigilance during play and a function for play vocalizations. Additional functions for play vocalizations remain to be investigated.     

Positional behavior of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in northern Sumatra

Although the majority of extant primates are described as "quadrupedal," there is little information available from natural habitats on the locomotor and postural behavior of arboreal primate quadrupeds that are not specialized for leaping. To clarify varieties of quadrupedal movement, a quantitative field study of the positional behavior of a highly arboreal cercopithecine, Macaca fascicularis, was conducted in northern Sumatra. At least 70% of locomotion in travel, foraging, and feeding was movement along continuous substrates by quadrupedalism and vertical climbing. Another 14-25% of locomotion was across substrates by pronograde clambering and vertical clambering. The highest frequency of clambering occurred in foraging for insects, and on the average smaller substrates were used in clambering than during quadrupedal movement. All postural behavior during foraging and feeding was above-substrate, largely sitting. Locomotion across substrates requires grasping branches of diverse orientations, sometimes displaced away from the animal's body. The relatively low frequency of across-substrate locomotion appears consistent with published analyses of cercopithecoid postcranial morphology, indicating specialization for stability of limb joints and use of limbs in parasagittal movements, but confirmation of this association awaits interspecific comparisons that make the distinction between along- and across-substrate forms of locomotion. It is suggested that pronograde clambering as defined in this study was likely a positional mode of considerable importance in the repertoire of Proconsul africanus and is a plausible early stage in the evolution of later hominoid morphology and locomotor behavior.     

室内条件下云斑天牛成虫相遇行为反应

为了探索云斑天牛Batocera lineolata Chevrolat雌雄成虫的交配机制, 采用室内饲养观察和视频轨迹捕捉系统(EthoVision 3.1)自动记录分析相结合的方法, 对云斑天牛的两性相遇行为进行了研究。行为仪分析结果表明, 雌雌、 雄雄与雌雄相遇过程中, 雌雄在轨迹相交时间和净相对运动上显著长于雌雌和雄雄(P<0.05), 而在反应前时间上显著短于雌雌和雄雄相遇情况(P<0.05)。室内试验观察表明, 云斑天牛成虫相遇包括避让、 打斗和交配3种行为。雌雌相遇发生避让的频率最高为80.98%(P<0.05)。雄雄相遇发生避让的频率为78.03%, 显著高于发生打斗的频率21.96%(P<0.05); 雌、 雄成虫与正在交配的一对成虫相遇发生避让的频率显著高于另外3种行为［打斗(继续交配)、 打斗(结束交配)、 打斗(与后来者交配)］(P<0.05), 雌、 雄成虫发生避让、 打斗(继续交配)和打斗(结束交配)3种行为的发生频率存在性别差异(P<0.05); 当雄雄相遇中成虫是初次相遇时, 在发生打斗的频率上显著高于再次相遇(P<0.05), 成虫在雄雄相遇发生避让的频率上, 再次相遇显著高于初次相遇(P<0.05), 雌雄成虫初次相遇发生交配的频率显著高于再次相遇的频率(P<0.05)。云斑天牛成虫相遇行为的研究为研究云斑天牛召唤机制、 性信息素的生物合成及成虫繁殖行为学提供了依据。     

大沙鼠行为生态学研究现状

大沙鼠(Rhombomys opimus),属啮齿目(Rodentia)仓鼠科(Cricetidae)沙鼠亚科(Gerbillinae),广泛分布于中亚的哈萨克斯坦、伊朗、阿富汗、蒙古和中国等国,是沙鼠亚科中体型最大的鼠种,是中亚荒漠区的重要建群鼠种。大沙鼠为建立定居点而挖掘复杂的洞穴系统,生活在此洞穴系统内的一个家族通常由2~3代大沙鼠组成。大沙鼠采食梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)、柽柳(Tamarix chinensis)等植物,强烈影响荒漠植物的发育和外貌,以及荒漠生态系统的结构和功能。本文对大沙鼠栖息地、采食、储食、警戒、领域、社群、扩散以及昼间活动节律等行为的研究作以综述,分析了亟待深入研究的内容,以加深对该物种生物学特性的认识,并为有效控制该物种、维护荒漠生态系统稳定健康发展以及荒漠化防治提供基础数据。     

The role of central and peripheral cholecystokinin in mediating appetitive behaviors

Cholecystokinin (CCK) reduces total food consumption in mice, rats, pigs, sheep, monkeys and humans. Behaviors associated with an underlying state of satiety are reported after CCK administration. Reductions in exploration and social interactions by CCK are not due to true sedation or sleep, as measured by cortical EEG recordings. The satiety effects appear to be mediated by peripheral CCK receptors, through a feedback loop involving the vagus nerve. The conceptual link between the behavioral functions of CCK as a putative satiety signal and its established digestive functions are discussed.     

Behavioral Epiphenomena Revisited: Reply to Skok and Škorjanc

In a recent article in this journal, Ethology, 2014 present arguments as to why fighting in piglets during suckling may not be an epiphenomenon as we had previously suggested Ethology, 119, 2013, 353 and provide several alternative explanations. Although the new information Skok and ?korjanc bring to this debate is carefully considered and important, I argue here that it is not sufficient to counter our original claim that fighting among piglets (and kittens) during suckling may be an epiphenomenon, a largely inconsequential by‐product, of developmental processes anticipating the use of these behaviors and associated anatomical structures in later functional contexts. However, the points Skok and ?korjanc raise contribute importantly to identifying areas where further information and experimental work are needed to resolve this and related behavioral issues. I therefore conclude that this debate, independent of any particular final outcome, constructively points to the general difficulty and need for caution in interpreting behavior in seemingly ‘obvious’ functional terms, and particularly during development.     

Intact carcasses as enrichment for large felids: Effects on on‐ and off‐exhibit behaviors

Reducing stereotypic behaviors in captive animals is a goal for zoological institutions worldwide, and environmental enrichment is one tool commonly used to meet that end. Behavioral needs associated with feeding, however, are often neglected in large carnivores. To address these needs, I tested the effects of calf carcasses as enrichment for large felids. Over 14 weeks, I provided nine animals with up to seven intact carcasses. The cats were housed at Toledo Zoo, Potawatomi Zoo, and Binder Park Zoo. Animals were observed off and on exhibit for changes in feeding, natural, stereotypic, active, and inactive behaviors. I compared treatment behaviors with behaviors observed during a baseline period in which the animals were fed traditional processed diets. For these nine cats, carcass provision decreased off‐exhibit stereotypic behaviors but had little impact on on‐exhibit behaviors. Zoo Biol 21:37–47, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.