ISSN:
1573-5117
Keywords:
chironomids
;
microhabitat
;
tube-dwelling behavior
;
predator selectivity
;
sculpins
;
stoneflies
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Sculpin and stonefly predators fed selectively on the larvae of the chironomids Paratendipes over Cricotopus in laboratory stream microcosms. In these experiments, Cricotopus were usually tube-dwelling, whereas Paratendipes were usually free-living. Paratendipes were also bright red, which may have influenced selectivity by visual feeding sculpin, but tactile feeding stoneflies were most likely influenced only by the difference in tube-dwelling behavior of the two prey types. Both chironomids were abundant in the field, but exhibited discrete microhabitat distributions. Field collected sculpin ate mostly Cricotopus, probably because Cricotopus occurred in a more accessible microhabitat.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00015244
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