Growth and development of an araneophagic assassin bug, Stenolemus bituberus (Heteroptera : Reduviidae)
Anne E. Wignall A B and Phillip W. Taylor AA Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: anne@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au
Australian Journal of Zoology 56(4) 249-255 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO08058
Submitted: 11 July 2008 Accepted: 27 November 2008 Published: 22 December 2008
Abstract
Stenolemus bituberus Stål is an araneophagic Australian assassin bug (i.e. it preys on web-building spiders). As a step towards more thoroughly understanding the behaviour and predatory biology of this species, here we provide baseline information about development. During its development, there are 5 instars, with the 4th instar being the longest. The length of the 4th instar was consistent with this species’ phenology in the field and corresponds to the winter months. Mortality during the 4th instar was higher than in any other instar. Sexes were similar in size until the 5th instar (width across eyes was greater for males than for females, a pattern continued into the adult stage). Overall, adult females tended to be larger than males. The growth rate between instars varied according to instar, although the transition from 5th instar to adult was generally associated with a decrease in growth rate compared with other transitions. Width across the eyes was the only metric that exhibited a sex difference in growth rate, with males growing more than females during the transition from 4th to 5th instar.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Marie Herberstein and Aaron Harmer for useful comments on previous drafts of this manuscript. We also thank Alan Taylor for help with statistical analysis. Gerry Cassis from the Australian Museum (current address: the University of New South wales) kindly pointed us towards the presence of a population of S. bituberus assassin bugs in Hyde Park. This study was supported by a grant from the Australian Research Council. AEW was supported with a RAACE scholarship from Macquarie University.
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