Ecology and evolution of predatory behavior in the carabid cave beetle Neaphaenops tellkampfi
Griffith DM. 1990. Ecology and evolution of predatory behavior in the carabid cave beetle Neaphaenops tellkampfi. University of Illinois at Chicago
The effects of substrate moisture and intra-specific competition on the per capita predatory success of the caribid cave beetle Neaphaenops tellkampfi on the eggs of the cave cricket Hadenoecus subterraneus were investigated in two sandy, deep cave sites in Mammoth Cave National Park (Great Onyx Cave and Little Beauty Cave). Substrate moisture, beetle density, cricket density, cricket egg laying patterns, plus predation success on different food items for beetles from deep cave sites and near-entrance sites were studied. Comparative studies on foraging behavior of N. t. tellkampfi and N. t. meridionalis shed light on the possible evolution of the specialized cricket egg finding behavior observed in the nominate subspecies.
- Type
- Academic
- Authors
- Griffith, David
- Date of Issue
- 1990
- Publisher
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- Units
- MACA
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Caves, Common Cave Cricket (Hadenoecus subterraneus), Competition (Species), Dissertation, Eggs, Feeding, Foraging, Great Onyx Cave Mammoth Cave National Park Ky, Little Beauty Cave Mammoth Cave National Park KY, Neaphaenops tellkampfi (Ground Beetle), Population Density, Predation, Soil Moisture