THE BIOLOGIST APPRENTICE
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Support
  • Press
  • Contact

This insect uses farts to immobilize its prey

8/20/2015

0 Comments

 
Beaded Lacewing, Photo: Patrick Coin/Cotinis
Photo credit: Robert Lord Zimlich
The unconventional hunting tactics of Lomamyia latipennis, a termite-predating species of Beaded Lacewig. When a baby Lomamyia latipennis gets hungry, it stuns a termite with a “vapor-phase toxicant” released from its anus. That’s a fancy way of saying it farts on it. In fact, their farts are powerful enough to immobilize six termites with one blow.

Once the larva delivers its toxic toot, it can leisurely scuttle over and chow down. If a few extra termites are caught in the backdraft, that’s just extra food.

In laboratory tests, experimenters determined the fecal fume-induced paralysis lasted for three hours, and if not eaten, the termites eventually died. Even more astonishing is that early stage L. latipennis are tiny, about 0.07 mg in size. The average size of their termite prey was 2.5mg. That is some seriously potent flatulence.

Source: wired.com



Las tácticas de caza poco convencionales de  Lomamyia latipennis  que es una especie de Chrysopa. Cuando un bebé de Lomamyia latipennis tiene hambre, aturde a una termita con una "sustancia tóxica en fase de vapor" liberada desde su ano. Esta es una forma elegante de decir que "pedorrea" a su presa. De hecho, sus pedos son lo suficientemente potentes como para inmovilizar seis termitas de un solo golpe.

Una vez que la larva libera su gas tóxico, tranquilamente puede relajarse y esperar. Si unas pocas termitas adicionales están atrapados en la corriente deñ gas contraria, eso es sólo comida extra.

En pruebas de laboratorio, los investigadores determinaron que la parálisis inducida duró tres horas, y si se las comen, las termitas eventualmente mueren. Aún más sorprendente es que las primeros estadios de L. latipennis son pequeños, alrededor de 0,07 mg de tamaño. El tamaño medio de sus presas termitas fue 2,5 mg. Lo que se resume en una flatulencia super potente.

Fuente: wired.com
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Blog Archive
    ​
    This blog isn't active anymore
    ​Disclaimer

    All the pictures on this blog and social networks belong to their respective authors and proper credits are given. Photos are used for illustrative and educational purposes only.

    Todas las fotografías de este blog y redes sociales son propiedad de sus respectivos autores, se mencionan los respectivos créditos. Estas fotos son únicamente utilizadas con fines ilustrativos y educativos.


    Archives

    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    July 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Support
  • Press
  • Contact