Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Alternative Title

Insectos y arañas arquitectos: Las estructuras de hojas construídas por artrópodos en las zonas protegidas en Monteverde

Creator

Holly Eichrodt

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Publication Date

December 2016

Abstract

This study aimed to understand which insect and arachnid families manipulate leaves to make shelters and for what purposes they make them. I investigated the types of structures they create and how this may benefit their survivorship within three diverse protected areas of Monteverde- Estación Biológica Monteverde, Bajo del Tigre and Rachel Dwight Crandell Reserve. I collected a total of 56 individuals in the orders Lepidoptera, Araneae, and Orthoptera. I quantified the different types of leaf modifications made as well as the plant family in which they were made. I wanted to determine if there was specificity within the different families. The most abundant family I found was Anyphaenidae—a family of arachnid, and this was the only family collected at all three of my sites. I also found that there were different uses for the leaves, which I classified as shelter, feed, molt, pupate, and eggs—and I described the refuge that each individual created (by structure and plant family) and compared them. An interesting result is this area houses a unique cricket, which is the one of two families in Orthoptera that spins silk. Furthermore, I did not find species specificity in the family of arthropod’s plant choice—this could be due to insufficient data collected from each family of arthropod especially in the order Lepidoptera.

Resumen

Coleccioné un total de 56 individuos en los órdenes Lepidoptera, Araneae, y Orthoptera. Cuantifiqué los diferentes tipos de modificaciones de hojas hechas así como la familia de plantas en las que fueron hechas. También tuve como objetivo determinar si había especificidad dentro de las diferentes familias. La familia más abundante que encontré fue Anyphaenidae, una familia de arácnidos, y ésta fue la única familia encontré en los tres sitios. También encontré que había diferentes usos para las hojas y las clasifiqué como refugio, alimentación, muda, pupa y huevos, y describí y comparé el refugio que cada individuo creó (por estructura y familia de plantas). Un resultado interesante es que esta área alberga un grillo único, que es el único Orthoptera que produce seda. Además, no encontré especificidad de especie en la familia de la elección de las plantas de los artrópodos-esto podría ser debido al tamaño de la muestra tomada de cada familia de artrópodos, especialmente en el orden Lepidoptera.

Keywords

Spiderwebs, Insects--Behavior, Orthoptera--Behavior, EAP Fall 2016

Palabras claves

Telarañas, Insectos--Comportamiento, Ortóptera--Comportamiento, EAP Otoño 2016

Extent

12 pages

Geographic Location

Monteverde (Puntarenas, Costa Rica)

Holding Location

Monteverde Institute

Language

English; Spanish

Media Type

Articles

Format

Digital Only

Identifier

M39-00599

Type

Book

Archinsects and arachnitects: The leaf structures that arthropods construct in the protected areas of Monteverde, December 2016

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