Influence of predator density in foraging behavior and microhabitat choice on litter-dwelling scorpions

ABSTRACT

The presence of a predator can cause behavioral changes in its prey, such as decreased foraging activity. Previous studies have indicated that the scorpion Ananteris mauryi has the ability to identify the chemical traces of its intraguild predator Tityus pusillus, causing it to reduce its exploratory activity. In this study, the foraging activities of A. mauryi in a natural environment with different densities of T. pusillus were compared. The study was carried out through active searches from 19:00 to 22:00 in five fragments of the Atlantic Forest in Pernambuco, Brazil, one having a low density of T. pusillus and four returning high densities. In total, 81 individuals of A. mauryi were observed, and 49.4% were recorded in the area with a low density of T. pusillus. In general, A. mauryi individuals exhibited a similar foraging activity in the fragment with low and higher density of T. pusillus. Similarly, A. mauryi was found on leaf litter bottom layers independently of T. pusillus density. Therefore, our results suggest that their predator density does not exert any influence on foraging activity and microhabitat choice in A. mauryi.

KEYWORDS:

• Intraguild predation
• Buthidae
• ecology of fear
• Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest
• Ananteris mauryi

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco-FACEPE for postdoctoral scholarship (BFP-0121-2.05/20). We also thank two anonymous referees for their valuable comments on the previous version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco-FACEPE for postdoctoral scholarship (BFP-0121-2.05/20).