Although the research on myrmecophilous insects is dated back to the 19th century, certain aspects of fascinating relationship between hosts and their social parasites are not satisfactorily understood. The latest studies focus mostly on the systematics of myrmecophilous taxa, and bionomy remains neglected. Most of the myrmecophilous insect can be found among beetles (Coleoptera). These myrmecophiles reveal a broad spectrum of adaptations that allow them to live in close association with their host ants. These adaptations significantly differ among the well-integrated species on one hand and poorly integrated or non-integrated species of myrmecophilous beetles on the other. This study focuses at the comparison of behaviour in two species of myrmecophilous beetles, Claviger testaceus (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) as the member of integrated myrmecophiles, and Pella spp. (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) as poorly integrated or non-integrated beetle. My work shows significant differences in behaviour taking place after encounter of a beetle and an ant. Ants are more aggressive towards the non-integrated species, and at the same time, these beetles are well-adapted for aggressive behaviour from the ants. On the other hand, the integrated beetles do not possess many behavioural adaptations for the...
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nusl.cz/oai:invenio.nusl.cz:368052 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Bažilová, Jana |
| Contributors | Šobotník, Jan, Pech, Pavel |
| Source Sets | Czech ETDs |
| Language | Czech |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesis |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
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