First experimental evidence that a harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones) detects odors of non-rotten dead prey by olfaction

Abstract

Harvestmen feed on live, dead and fresh, or decomposing animals, fungi, and plant matter, being very dependent on chemoreception to find food. Herein we performed an experiment to test if individuals of Discocyrtus pectinifemur Mello-Leitão, 1937 (Gonyleptidae) (n = 23) behave differently when in contact with olfactory cues from different sources (rotten prey, non-rotten prey and a control). Using dead crickets in a box covered with a mesh, and recording the time the harvestmen spent in the vicinities of the box, we show that D. pectinifemur detects non-rotten prey and stays longer on it than on the other two treatments. Our results contrast with a previous study on another species, showing that we should not generalize results obtained for one species. Our data also suggest that olfactory receptors occur on the legs of these harvestmen and that D. pectinifemur might choose dietary items based on olfaction.

Chemoreception; Laniatores; sensilla; sensory ecology