Influence of rainfall regime in the Cerrado biome on the maintenance of traps built by Myrmeleon brasiliensis (Navás) (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) larvae and the morphology of adults

Algarve, Bruna Barba; Graciolli, Gustavo; Lima, Tatiane N.

doi:10.1590/1678-4766e2022020

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…In this case, leaf litter cover may represent benefits but also costs to antlion larvae. Leaf litter can protect traps from rain and excessive solar radiation, both factors that limit trap construction and larval feeding activity (Algarve et al, 2022; Farji‐Brener, 2003; Farji‐Brener & Amador‐Vargas, 2020; Freire & Lima, 2019; Gotelli, 1993; Klein, 1982; Lucas, 1985; Miler & Scharf, 2022). But as already explained, leaf litter can also limit the prey capture, and the oviposition rate by adult females (not studied here), and make essential activities for trap maintenance more difficult (as we demonstrated here).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The avoidance of compacted soils with coarse-grained particles is not surprising, as these characteristics can limit trap building and result in smaller traps that capture fewer prey (Devetak et al, 2005;Farji-Brener, 2003;Gatti & Farji-Brener, 2002;Gotelli, 1993;Loiterton & Magrath, 1996;Lucas, 1982Lucas, , 1985. Rain also limits trap building and its capture success decreases larvae activity and increases their mortality (Algarve et al, 2022;Freire & Lima, 2019;Griffiths, 1980Griffiths, , 1991Scharf & Ovadia, 2006). But why are antlion larvae so rare under the leaf litter?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Why are antlion larvae rare under the leaf litter? Testing the hypothesis of improper trap maintenance

Farji‐Brener,

Carrillo‐Fajardo,

Rodríguez‐Malacara

et al. 2023

Ecological Entomology

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Understanding why animals avoid some locations is needed to improve the theory of habitat selection. This is key in semi‐sedentary organisms, such as antlion larvae, because once established they rarely move, and their performance largely depends on local environmental conditions. Antlion larvae are sit‐and‐wait predators that build conical pitfall traps in sandy soils to capture passing prey. They clean constantly their traps, expelling soil, prey carcasses and debris out of the pit to maintain their trapping success. Therefore, we propose that they avoid soils with leaf litter because leaves hinder the maintenance of their pits; a hypothesis that has not yet been tested. We first demonstrated that antlion larvae (Myrmeleon inmaculatus) are rare from soils with leaf litter in a tropical semi‐deciduous forest in Mexico. We then experimentally tested the effect of leaf litter on pit maintenance by adding debris in 90 antlion traps, 45 of which were covered with a leaf, and 45 remained uncovered. Two hours after adding the debris, we recorded its location and quantified the variation in depth and diameter of the pits. Larvae in uncovered traps were twice as effective at cleaning up the debris than larvae in covered traps. Furthermore, in just 2 h, covered traps were on average 21% shallower than control traps, probably because unsuccessful attempts to clean debris caused sand slides to fill the pit partially. Leaf litter seems to hinder the proper maintenance of antlion traps, explaining at least partially, why these animals are rare under leaf litter.

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