Does ant-mimicry function as a mechanism for creation of biodiversity and coexistence of multi-species in tropical forests?

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24570109
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: University of Hyogo
• Principal Investigator: HASHIMOTO Yoshiaki 兵庫県立大学, 自然・環境科学研究所, 准教授 (50254454)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ITIOKA Takao 京都大学, 人間・環境学研究科(研究院), 教授 (40252283) ; ENDO Tomoji 神戸女学院大学, 人間科学部, 教授 (60289030) ; HYODO Fujio 岡山大学, 異分野研究コア(その他部局等), 准教授 (70435535)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 生物多様性創出機構 / 擬態 / 熱帯雨林 / アリ類 / アリ擬態クモ類 / 喰い分け / 多種共存機構 / 安定同位体分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ant-mimic spiders mainly occur in the tropical regions. Since ant diversity is especially high in the tropics, it seems that the remarkable diversity of ant-mimic spiders in tropics is associated with the diversity of ants. To assess this assumption, the present study examined how ant biodiversity reflects on biodiversity of the mimic spiders in tropical forests. Using morphometric tools to analyze objectively visual resemblance between them, we can detect supporting evidence that diverse patterns of ant-mimic spiders were closely associated with diversity patterns of sympatric ants. Furthermore, using stable isotope analysis and experiment of predation, we can also find mimetic association of ant-mimic spiders to ant models affects their foraging behavior, which may function as food segregations among them. These results indicate that ant-mimicry may play as a mechanism of creating species diversity and promoting coexistence of multiple species in tropical forests.

Free Research Field

多様性生物学