Predação em girinos por uma vespa e outras associações de insetos com ninhos de duas espécies de rãs da Amazônia

Abstract

Adult females of the vespid Angiopolybia pallens (lepeltier) were observed feeding upon nest material, eggs, and tadpoles of the foam nest building frog, Leptodactylus pentadactylus (Laurenti) near Manaus, Brasil. Larvae and adults of the ephydrid fly, Gastrops willistoni Cresson were found at every foam nest of L. pentadactylus that was encountered between July 15 and Dec. 21, 1978. The larvae probably feed on the undeveloped eggs, nest material and on the bodies of insects that have become stuck in the viscous nests. An eucoilid parasite of the ephydrid larvae was observed in situ and was reared in the laboratory from field collected larvae of G. willistoni. Additional sporadic associates are also listed. Adult females of Angiopolybia obidensis (Ducke) were observed on one occasion eating the gelatin from around the eggs of the hylid frog, Osteocephalus taurinus Steindachner.