Biology

Larval rearing conditions affect kin-mediated cannibalism in a treehole mosquito

Document Type

Article

Abstract

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.

Publication Title

Oikos

Publication Date

2001

Volume

95

Issue

2

First Page

335

Last Page

339

ISSN

0030-1299

DOI

10.1034/j.1600-0706.2001.950215.x

Cross Post Location

Student Publications

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