Weight determines the outcome in territorial contests of Erythrodiplax fusca Rambur, 1842 (Odonata: Libellulidae)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5216/rbn.v17i2.63511

Keywords:

Conflict, weight, RHP, contests and territory

Abstract

Erythrodiplax fusca (Rambur, 1842) is an Odonata of the Libellulidae family, which defend their territories close to rivers, lakes and swamps. Disputes over access to females or breeding sites usually occur during flight activities. The objective in this work was to analyze the disputes over territories between males and to evaluate if the winners are heavier than losers. The study was conducted at the Morro Feio Experimental Farm, located in the municipality of Hidrolândia, state of Goiás, Brazil. First, an inspection was carried out to find points on the bank of the stream that males commonly dispute to establish their territories. After the identification of these points, all disputes for territory were counted and at the end of the conflict the two males were collected (winner and loser) and weighed. 74 individuals of E. fusca (37 winners and 37 losers) were collected. The fresh weight was decisive to win the dispute, with winner males 10% heavier than losing males. Therefore, this work corroborates the hypothesis that the weight of the males of E. fusca is related to increases in probability of victory in disputes over territories.

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Author Biographies

Deborah Costa Natividade, Centro Universitário Araguaia

Graduada em Ciências Biológicas, modalidade de licenciatura, na Faculdade Araguaia-FARA.

Querem Cristine Ferreira Santana, Centro Universitário Araguaia

Graduanda em Ciências Biológicas pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás (PUC-GO).

Nelson Silva Pinto, Centro Universitário Araguaia

Professor no Centro Universitário UniAraguaia (Goiânia-GO). Doutor em Ecologia pela UFBA, com ênfase em ecologia comportamental. Mestre em Ecologia e Evolução pela UFG. Graduado em Ciências Biológicas (licenciatura) pela UFG. Tenho experiência em ecologia comportamental, ecologia teórica, ecologia de populações e de comunidades, modelos baseados em indivíduos, teoria dos jogos aplicada à ecologia e assimetria flutuante. Tenho interesse em ecologia comportamental, especialmente em entender as regras que animais usam para resolver conflitos sobre recursos indivisíveis, modelagem baseada em indivíduos de padrões ecológicos e comportamentais e assimetria flutuante. Experiência em EaD, ecologia, ecologia comportamental, assimetria flutuante e simulações.

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Published

2020-09-30

How to Cite

COSTA NATIVIDADE, D.; FERREIRA SANTANA, Q. C.; SILVA PINTO, N. Weight determines the outcome in territorial contests of Erythrodiplax fusca Rambur, 1842 (Odonata: Libellulidae). Revista de Biologia Neotropical / Journal of Neotropical Biology, Goiânia, v. 17, n. 2, p. 103–109, 2020. DOI: 10.5216/rbn.v17i2.63511. Disponível em: https://revistas.ufg.br/RBN/article/view/63511. Acesso em: 22 nov. 2024.

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Vol. 17 No. 2 (2020): Revista de Biologia Neotropical / Journal of Neotropical Biology

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