Head capsule stacking by caterpillars: morphology complements behaviour to provide a novel defence.

ABSTRACT: Herbivores employ a variety of chemical, behavioural and morphological defences to reduce mortality from natural enemies. In some caterpillars the head capsules of successive instars are retained and stacked on top of each other and it has been suggested that this could serve as a defence against natural enemies. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the survival of groups of the gumleaf skeletoniser Uraba lugens Walker caterpillars, allocated to one of three treatments: "-HC," where stacked head capsules were removed from all individuals, "+HC," where the caterpillars retained their stacked head capsules, and "mixed," where only half of the caterpillars in a group had their stacked head capsules removed. We found no difference in predation rate between the three treatments, but within th

SUBMITTER: Low PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4782731 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature