TY - JOUR
T1 - Specialized prey selection behavior of two east african assassin bugs, Scipinnia repax and Nagusta sp. that prey on social jumping spiders
AU - Jackson, Robert R.
AU - Salm, Kathryn
AU - Nelson, Ximena J.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The prey choice behavior and predatory strategies of two East African assassin bugs, Scipinnia repax (Stl 1961) and Nagusta sp. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), were investigated in the field and the laboratory. Both of these species are from the subfamily Harpactorinae and specialize in eating spiders. They prey especially often on social jumping spiders (Salticidae) that build nest complexes (nests connected by silk) in vegetation near the shoreline of Lake Victoria. Both reduviid species associate with these nest complexes and prey on the resident salticids. Nagusta sp., but not S. repax, form groups on nest complexes with 23 individuals of Nagusta sometimes feeding together on a single salticid. In addition to social salticids, Nagusta sp. preys on Portia africana, an araneophagic salticid that often invades the same nest complexes. S. repax preys on salticid eggs and also on Nagusta. Although they avoid ants, Nagusta and especially S. repax prey on ant-mimicking salticids, suggesting that sensory modalities other than vision play a dominant role in prey detection.
AB - The prey choice behavior and predatory strategies of two East African assassin bugs, Scipinnia repax (Stl 1961) and Nagusta sp. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), were investigated in the field and the laboratory. Both of these species are from the subfamily Harpactorinae and specialize in eating spiders. They prey especially often on social jumping spiders (Salticidae) that build nest complexes (nests connected by silk) in vegetation near the shoreline of Lake Victoria. Both reduviid species associate with these nest complexes and prey on the resident salticids. Nagusta sp., but not S. repax, form groups on nest complexes with 23 individuals of Nagusta sometimes feeding together on a single salticid. In addition to social salticids, Nagusta sp. preys on Portia africana, an araneophagic salticid that often invades the same nest complexes. S. repax preys on salticid eggs and also on Nagusta. Although they avoid ants, Nagusta and especially S. repax prey on ant-mimicking salticids, suggesting that sensory modalities other than vision play a dominant role in prey detection.
KW - araneophagy
KW - intraguild predation
KW - myrmecomorphy
KW - predatory specialization
KW - prey-capture behavior
KW - Reduviidae, Salticidae
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955636445&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1673/031.010.8201
DO - 10.1673/031.010.8201
M3 - Article
C2 - 20673067
AN - SCOPUS:77955636445
VL - 10
JO - Journal of insect science
JF - Journal of insect science
SN - 1536-2442
M1 - 82
ER -