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Larval rearing conditions affect kin‐mediated cannibalism in a treehole mosquito
Author(s) -
Dennehy John J.,
Robakiewicz Phil,
Livdahl Todd
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
oikos
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.672
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1600-0706
pISSN - 0030-1299
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0706.2001.950215.x
Subject(s) - instar , cannibalism , biology , larva , predation , zoology , functional response , ecology , predator
Cannibalistic behavior among Ochlerotatus triseriatus larvae was studied to determine whether cannibals are able to alter their attack behavior based on their relatedness to newly hatched conspecific prey larvae. Fourth instar larvae, reared in one of four different initial densities, were placed with newly emerged first instars and, after 48 h, the number of first instar larvae remaining was recorded. Our data suggest a Type III functional response of non‐kin fourth instar larvae to first instar prey density. Several significant effects emerged from our analysis model, namely that the number of first instar prey available, the relationship of the first instar larvae with the cannibals, and the density at which the fourth instar cannibals were reared all affected the number of first instar larvae consumed.