Foraging, oviposition sites and notes on the natural history of the harvestman Heteromitobates discolor (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae)

Biota Neotropica

Norton Felipe Dos Santos Silva¹  Rodrigo Hirata Willemart¹ 

关键词: Parental care;    maternal care;    microhabitat choice;    substrate choice;    Laniatores;    Goniosomatinae;    Cuidado parental;    cuidado maternal;    escolha de micro-habitat;    escolha de substrato;    Laniatores;    Goniosomatinae;   

DOI  :  10.1590/1676-06032015018614

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

The lack of data on the natural history often hampers phylogenetic studies on the evolution of behavior. Herein we provide quantitative field data on foraging and oviposition sites of a Neotropical harvestman belonging to a subfamily with a published phylogeny, Goniosomatinae. Heteromitobates discolor rests during the day on granitic boulders on rivers, laying eggs in sheltered and darker areas. The female guard the eggs and aggressively respond to approaching conspecific females. In the absence of the female, ants, conspecifics and reduviids may predate the eggs. Egg-guarding females are known not to leave the clutch, but males and non-guarding females may leave the granitic boulders and forage on the vegetation at night, close to the river margins and with no difference in the sites explored between males and females. The general features described in H. discolor are similar to what has been reported for other species in this subfamily, suggesting an evolutionary conservatism within the group.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
 All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License