BIO120H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Termite, Digestive Enzyme, Reduviidae
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BIO120H1 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
Nymph (immature) reduviid bugs (assassin bugs) display 2 features: cover their thorax with layer of dust, sand, soil particles to form dust coat , attach dead insects to their thorax using elastic threads. Elastic threads produced by glands on their back, form backpack with dead insects. Brandt and mahsberg article: bugs with a backpack: the function of nymphal camouflage in the west. Nymph assassin bugs disguise themselves with dust coat + backpack of larger objects (empty prey corpses, plant parts on their abdomen). Camouflage with ants (their main prey), hide from predators. Dust coat impede chemical recognition of nymphs by 3 ant species = hunting success. Backpack help nymphs camouflage from predators: if bug attacked, it sheds backpack to distract enemy, while bug escapes. Animals have antipredator strategies that interrupt this sequence: minimize probability of detection, eliminate recognition of an edible item.
