Abstract

PINTO, Nozor Paulo Outeiro et al. Interespecific coexistence in Mischocyttarus Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Mischocyttarini) during the initial stage of the development of a nest. Rev. etol. [online]. 2004, vol.6, n.2, pp. 95-100. ISSN 1517-2805.

A nest in which two different species of wasps coexisted during 138 days was observed during 10 months at the Instituto de Biociências of the Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, Brazil. The species were Mischocyttarus (Haplometrobius) cerberus styx (Richards, 1940) and M. (Phi Saussure, 1854 = Monocyttarus Richards, 1978) cassununga (R. von Ihering, 1903) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Mischocyttarini). Nests of both species are frequently found all year long in the study area, sometimes very close to each other. The study nest was observed for 10 months and the most important behaviors were: initial coexistence between two females from different species, trophallaxis, emergence of a M. cassununga female which cohabited the same nest by short period, gradual increase of dominance of M. cerberus styx female, canibalism, abandonment of the nest by the older M. cassununga, exclusive development of brood of M. cerberus styx, and nest decline.

Keywords : Dominância; Vespas; Mischocyttarus cerberus styx; Mischocyttarus cassununga; Interspecific coexistence; Dominance; Wasps; Mischocyttarus cerberus styx; Mischocyttarus cassununga.

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