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Chemical and evolutionary analysis of the scent gland secretions of two species of Gonyleptes Kirby, 1819 (Arachnida: Opiliones: Laniatores). CHEMOECOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00049-023-00380-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
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2
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Carvalho RN, Kury AB. Wide distribution and wide bodies: A new genus of Neopachylinae (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) formed by false Discocyrtus. ZOOL ANZ 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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3
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Silva NFDS, Pagoti GF, Willemart RH. Water locomotion and survival under water in a riparian harvestman (Opiliones, Arachnida). Behav Processes 2020; 179:104220. [PMID: 32791201 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Animals that live by rivers may benefit from being able to cross them, but behavioral adaptations are needed. Additionally, being able to remain submerged is also important if the animal moves under water. Here we asked whether the harvestman Heteromitobates discolor (Opiliones), that lives by rivers, (a) can propel itself across the water surface, (b) moves onto the water if disturbed and (c) can survive for long periods when submerged. Heteromitobates discolor exhibited two gaits on water, whereas a strictly terrestrial species was not able to propel itself. When experimentally submitted to simulated predator attack on a rock on the river, H. discolor walked onto the water, while a strictly terrestrial species did not. Finally, it was able to survive for 6 h under water, presumably due to the conspicuous air film that formed around its body, which was also observed in a strictly terrestrial species. Altogether, these observations suggest that the aquatic environment is not a barrier for regular activity and can be used as an extension of the terrestrial environment for H. discolor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norton Felipe Dos Santos Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Sistemas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Tecidual e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av Professor Lineu Prestes, 1524, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Arlindo Béttio, 1000, Ermelino Matarazzo, São Paulo, SP, 03828-000, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Ferreira Pagoti
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Arlindo Béttio, 1000, Ermelino Matarazzo, São Paulo, SP, 03828-000, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 321, Travessa 14, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Hirata Willemart
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Arlindo Béttio, 1000, Ermelino Matarazzo, São Paulo, SP, 03828-000, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 321, Travessa 14, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Diadema, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Jardim Eldorado, Diadema, SP, 09972-270, Brazil.
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Segovia JMG, Murayama GP, Willemart RH. Sexual differences in weaponry and defensive behavior in a neotropical harvestman. Curr Zool 2019; 65:553-558. [PMID: 31616486 PMCID: PMC6784509 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual differences in morphology can evolve by sexual selection and/or natural selection. In some species, only males have morphological structures that are used as weapons. Since some weapons may also be used for defensive purposes, males and females may behave differently towards predators. In some species of harvestmen (Arachnida and Opiliones), males have sharp apophyses ("spines") on their 4th pair of legs whereas females lack them. Those apophyses are used in male-male fights and in antipredatory behaviors. The harvestmen antipredatory repertory also encompasses passive defenses such as thanatosis (death feigning), retaliation (attack on predators), and chemical defense. Due to the sexual differences on weaponry, we hypothesized that males and females of Mischonyx cuspidatus (Gonyleptidae) rely on different defensive strategies. We experimentally induced males and females to perform 3 defensive behaviors: thanatosis, pinching with legs, and chemical release. We predicted that females would engage more in passive and chemical defenses than males, whereas males would rely more on retaliation than females. As expected, females performed thanatosis more often than males. Likewise, males performed retaliation more often than females. We did not find differences in the rate of chemical defense use between the sexes. This study provides evidence that due to sexual dimorphism, alternative antipredatory behaviors may have been selected in the different sexes in M. cuspidatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlio M G Segovia
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola, de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriel P Murayama
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola, de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo H Willemart
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola, de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Pagoti GF, Portela E, Campanha JS, Dias JM, Willemart RH. On the function of the spoon-shaped pedipalps of harvestmen in the family Cosmetidae (Opiliones, Laniatores). J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1692086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Ferreira Pagoti
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Erika Portela
- Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Jessica Silva Campanha
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jessica Morais Dias
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Hirata Willemart
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes, Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
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Townsend VR, Teevan-Kamhawi S, Calpo D. Interspecific, ontogenetic, and sexual variation in ozopore morphology among cosmetid harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores). J Morphol 2019; 280:1462-1474. [PMID: 31313849 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The ozopores of cosmetid harvestmen rest upon lateral projections of the carapace, have simple or highly reduced channels, and are partially obscured by enlarged dorsal processes associated with coxae I and II. Rather than use scent gland secretions to form a chemical shield on the dorsum, the cosmetid harvestman exhibits a unique defensive behavior known as "leg dabbing" in which the distal tip of tarsus I or II is dipped into fluid that accumulate at the base of coxa II and the droplet on the tarsus is pointed toward the predator. Relatively little is known about interspecific variation in ozopore morphology among cosmetid harvestmen. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy to examine the ozopores of males and females of nine species as well as those of antepenultimate nymphs for two species. Among adults, we found differences between species in the shapes of the ozopores (round or subtriangular), the morphology of the dorsal and lateral channels (if present), and the relative size, shape and armature of the dorsal posterior process (dpp) of coxa I and the dorsal anterior process (dap) of coxa II. Our observations suggest that the morphology of dpp I and dap II could be sources for systematic characters in future phylogenetic studies of the Cosmetidae. We observed ontogenetic differences but relatively little intersexual variation in the morphology of the ozopore. The ozopores of nymphs are generally more oval than those of adults and the opening of the ozopore of the nymph is less obstructed, if at all, by the dorsal coxal processes of legs I-II. These morphological differences suggest that nymphs may use scent gland secretions in a manner different from that of adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor R Townsend
- Department of Biology, Virginia Wesleyan University, Virginia Beach, Virginia
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Silva MS, Willemart RH, Carbayo F. Sticky flatworms (Platyhelminthes) kill armored harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) but are not immune to the prey′s weapons. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. S. Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Escola de Artes Ciências e Humanidades Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
| | - R. H. Willemart
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Zoologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução Universidade Federal de São Paulo Campus Diadema Diadema SP Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes (LESCA) Escola de Artes Ciências e Humanidades Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
| | - F. Carbayo
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Escola de Artes Ciências e Humanidades Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Zoologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
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Schaider M, Novak T, Komposch C, Leis HJ, Raspotnig G. Methyl-ketones in the scent glands of Opiliones: a chemical trait of cyphophthalmi retrieved in the dyspnoan Nemastoma triste. CHEMOECOLOGY 2018; 28:61-67. [PMID: 29670318 PMCID: PMC5897473 DOI: 10.1007/s00049-018-0257-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The homologous and phylogenetically old scent glands of harvestmen—also called defensive or repugnatorial glands—represent an ideal system for a model reconstruction of the evolutionary history of exocrine secretion chemistry (“phylogenetic chemosystematics”). While the secretions of Laniatores (mainly phenols, benzoquinones), Cyphophthalmi (naphthoquinones, chloro-naphthoquinones, methyl-ketones) and some Eupnoi (naphthoquinones, ethyl-ketones) are fairly well studied, one open question refers to the still largely enigmatic scent gland chemistry of representatives of the suborder Dyspnoi and the relation of dyspnoan chemistry to the remaining suborders. We here report on the secretion of a nemastomatid Dyspnoi, Nemastoma triste, which is composed of straight-chain methyl-ketones (heptan-2-one, nonan-2-one, 6-tridecen-2-one, 8-tridecen-2-one), methyl-branched methyl-ketones (5-methyl-heptan-2-one, 6-methyl-nonan-2-one), naphthoquinones (1,4-naphthoquinone, 6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) and chloro-naphthoquinones (4-chloro-1,2-naphthoquinone, 4-chloro-6-methyl-1,2-naphthoquinone). Chemically, the secretions of N. triste are remarkably reminiscent of those found in Cyphophthalmi. While naphthoquinones are widely distributed across the scent gland secretions of harvestmen (all suborders except Laniatores), methyl-ketones and chloro-naphthoquinones arise as linking elements between cyphophthalmid and dyspnoan scent gland chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Schaider
- 1Institute of Biology, University Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Tone Novak
- 2Department of Biology, University of Maribor, Koroška 160, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Christian Komposch
- Institute of Animal Ecology and Landscape Planning, ÖKOTEAM, Bergmanngasse 22, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Hans-Jörg Leis
- 4Research Unit of Analytical Mass Spectrometry, Cell Biology and Biochemistry of Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 30, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Günther Raspotnig
- 1Institute of Biology, University Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria.,4Research Unit of Analytical Mass Spectrometry, Cell Biology and Biochemistry of Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 30, 8036 Graz, Austria
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