Academic Journal
Shell-breaking predation on gastropods by Badister pictus (Coleoptera, Carabidae) with strikingly asymmetric mandibles.
| Title: | Shell-breaking predation on gastropods by Badister pictus (Coleoptera, Carabidae) with strikingly asymmetric mandibles. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Masakazu Hayashi, Shinji Sugiura |
| Source: | ZooKeys; 6/16/2021, Issue 1044, p815-830, 16p |
| Abstract: | The adults and larvae of some groups in the coleopteran family Carabidae are known to prey on snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Most species of the carabid tribe Licinini are believed to feed on live snails. However, the snail-eating behavior of only a few species has been studied. Whether adults of the licinine genus Badister can prey on live snails was tested by providing 155 live snails of 20 species (eleven terrestrial and nine aquatic species) to adults of Badister pictus Bates, 1873, and observing their behavior under laboratory conditions. Six of the 20 snail species have an operculum that can close the aperture of the shell. Each B. pictus adult attacked all of the snails provided. Badister pictus successfully preyed on ten terrestrial and six aquatic snail species. These beetles used their strikingly asymmetrical mandibles to break the dextral shells along the dorsal part of the whorls from the outer lip of the aperture towards the apex, allowing subsequent consumption of the soft bodies. However, 41.9% of snails could not be eaten by B. pictus adults. The rate of predation success by B. pictus decreased with increasing shell size and thickness of snails. In addition, the presence of an operculum decreased the rate of predation success by B. pictus. The results show that the shell size, thickness, and operculum of some snail species could play important roles in preventing B. pictus mandibles from breaking the shells. Therefore, Badister beetles may exert selective pressure on the evolution of defensive shell structures in small-sized snails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Subject Terms: | BEETLES, GROUND beetles, GASTROPODA, MANDIBLE, PREDATION, ADULTS, MOLLUSKS |
| Copyright of ZooKeys is the property of Pensoft Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| ISSN: | 13132989 |
| DOI: | 10.3897/zookeys.1044.62293 |
| Database: | Complementary Index |
Availability