Has the indestructible insect met its match? Velvet ants as prey to bufonid toads. Issue 1 (2nd January 2021)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Has the indestructible insect met its match? Velvet ants as prey to bufonid toads. Issue 1 (2nd January 2021)
- Main Title:
- Has the indestructible insect met its match? Velvet ants as prey to bufonid toads
- Authors:
- Mergler, Ciara J.
Gall, Brian G. - Abstract:
- Abstract : Velvet ants are a group of parasitoid wasps that are well-known for a suite of defensive traits including bright coloration, a thick exoskeleton, and a painful sting. Previous experiments have demonstrated that while virtually all potential predators avoid velvet ants, toads (family Bufonidae) may be able to prey upon them. We conducted a series of trials to determine whether American ( Anaxyrus americanus ) and Fowler's toads ( Anaxyrus fowleri ) prey upon velvet ants. Toad responses toward velvet ants were variable, ranging between complete avoidance, consumption and regurgitation, and consumption and retention. In total, 12 out of 22 trials resulted in the toads consuming a velvet ant. Of these, velvet ants were either regurgitated unharmed (n = 8) or retained (n = 4). In general, there were no significant differences in responses toward velvet ants between American and Fowler's toads. Due to a rapid prey acquisition and their unique foraging behavior, toads present the most likely predator to velvet ants. Our results indicate that toads have the capacity to consume and retain female velvet ants. However, female velvet ants demonstrate the ability to endure upwards of 20 min inside the stomach of a toad and survive.
- Is Part Of:
- Ethology, ecology & evolution. Volume 33:Issue 1(2021)
- Journal:
- Ethology, ecology & evolution
- Issue:
- Volume 33:Issue 1(2021)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 33, Issue 1 (2021)
- Year:
- 2021
- Volume:
- 33
- Issue:
- 1
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2021-0033-0001-0000
- Page Start:
- 15
- Page End:
- 24
- Publication Date:
- 2021-01-02
- Subjects:
- predation -- predator-prey -- anti-predator -- Mutillidae -- Bufonidae
Animal behavior -- Periodicals
Animal ecology -- Periodicals
Behavior evolution -- Periodicals
Behavior, Animal -- Periodicals
Ecology -- Periodicals
Biological Evolution -- Periodicals
Écologie animale -- Périodiques
Évolution du comportement -- Périodiques
Éthologie -- Périodiques
Animal behavior
Animal ecology
Behavior evolution
Periodicals
Electronic journals
591.5 - Journal URLs:
- http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/20334991.html ↗
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/teee20/current ↗
http://www.unifi.it/unifi/dbag/eee/ ↗
http://www.tandfonline.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1080/03949370.2020.1789747 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0394-9370
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 22481.xml