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Predation on nests of three species of Amazon River turtles (Podocnemis) by underground-foraging army ants (Labidus coecus)
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Predation on nests of three species of Amazon River turtles (Podocnemis) by underground-foraging army ants (Labidus coecus)

M. da Costa Reis, J. M. Reintjes, D. Chen and S. O'Donnell
Insectes sociaux, v 68(2-3), pp 277-281
01 Aug 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-021-00814-8
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Entomology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology
Subterranean foraging army ants (Labidus coecus) preyed on eggs and hatchlings of three species of Amazon River turtles (genus Podocnemis) in northeastern Peru. The raided nests were in a hatchery constructed atop the soil surface of a beach on the Tapiche River. The ant raid persisted across at least 9 days, and ant foraging impacted nests over an area of approximately 14 m(2). Observations suggest the ant workers chewed through turtle egg shells and entered nestling turtle body cavities via their eyes and yolk sacks (when present). Our observations, combined with previous reports, show that ant predation on river turtle nests, and particularly predation by Labidus coecus, is geographically widespread in Amazonia. Ant predation may represent an under-recorded source of turtle egg and nestling mortality. We discuss how army ant behavior affects strategies for mitigating ant predation in turtle hatcheries.

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5 citations in Web of Science
5 citations in Scopus

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#15 Life on Land

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Collaboration types
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Entomology
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