Department of Zoology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Abstract:
1. 1.Cueta trivirgata larvae construct pits in the dry Kuiseb River bed in the Namib Desert.
2. 2.An art, Ocymyrmex robustior comprises 65.4% of the biomass of prey consumed by the ant-lions.
3. 3.O. robustior is active between surface temperatures of 27–68°C.
4. 4.Ant-lions tolerate high body temperatures (LD50 = 53.4°C).
5. 5.By exploiting the pit microclimate and by digging below the surface during extreme thermal loads, ant-lions can capture prey at surface temperatures of 13–63°C.
6. 6.These behavioural and physiological adaptations enable ant-lions to maximize the duration of vigilance and hence prey capture success.