Anti-Predator Behavioral Responses of Mosquito Pupae to Aerial Predation Risk |
| |
Authors: | Iñaki Rodríguez-Prieto Esteban Fernández-Juricic José Martín |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain;(2) Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd. (Mailstop 3702), Long Beach, CA 90840, USA |
| |
Abstract: | Aquatic insects have two potential sources of predation risk: aquatic predators and aerial predators. Our goal was to assess anti-predator responses of Culex pipiens to aerial predation. By simulating predator attacks, we assessed (a) the distance fled in relation to depth and group size, (b) the distribution of individuals at different depths, and (c) the duration of surfacing events to obtain air in scenarios with varying predation risk. Pupae located closer to the surface fled deeper into the water, and the number of conspecifics decreased the distance fled. When the risk of predation increased, more individuals were found deeper in the water column, and the interval between two consecutive surfacing events increased. Culex pipiens shows a trade-off between avoiding aerial predation and maintaining oxygen acquisition, which may be regulated by the need to conserve energy reserves. |
| |
Keywords: | aerial predation risk anti-predator behavior Culex pupae water depth oxygen consumption resource use |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|