Predator feeding choice on conspicuous and non-conspicuous carabid beetles: First results

Insects use various types of behaviour, chemical defences, mimetic, aposematic or cryptic appearancesas anti-predatory strategies. Among insects, carabid beetles of the genus Brachinus are distasteful preybecause they discharge an irritating “cloud” of quinones when threatened. These beetles live in aggregationsand adopt warning (conspicuous pattern) colours and chemicals to create a template that is easilylearnt by predators. Another carabid beetle, Anchomenus dorsalis, mimics the colours and cuticular profileof Brachinus and is usually found in Brachinus aggregations. In this paper we report results from laboratoryobservations on feeding choice of the following natural predators - Crocidura leucodon (Insectivora:Soricidae), Ocypus olens (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and Podarcis sicula (Reptilia: Lacertidae) - on carabidbeetle species. Comparing the number of attacks of predators towards aposematic and non-aposematicprey, there was a statistically significant preference towards non-aposematic prey.