Molecular phylogeny, ecology and multispecies aggregation behaviour of bombardier beetles in Arizona.

ABSTRACT: Aggregations of conspecific animals are common and have been documented in most phyla. Multispecies aggregations are less common and less well studied. Eight species of Brachinus beetles -famous for their unique, highly effective, chemical defense-regularly settle together form large diurnal multispecies aggregations in dark, moist areas in riparian habitats in the Sonoran Desert Region. Here, we document these multispecies aggregations and investigate the incidence and dynamics of aggregation behavior. Analysis of species composition of 59 field-collected aggregations revealed that 71% contained more than one species, eight species regularly co-occurred in aggregations, and no two species showed a preference to aggregate with one another. We provide the first phylogenetic analyses of part

SUBMITTER: Schaller JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6209175 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature