Manu national park: Part II

Images of undisturbed subjects in their natural environment. All subject types.

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pbertner
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Manu national park: Part II

Post by pbertner »

On location in Manu national park. Petroleo falls is named after a natural fountain of petroleum which emerges from lower down in the falls. It brings into question the long-term preservation of the park against powerful interest groups:

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This one took a while for me to figure out. On first pass I thought that it was a chrysalis, and an emerging moth or butterfly. The compound eye seemed to confirm that. However, as I saw the mouthparts (rather than a proboscis) working away at freeing itself I looked closer. I also couldn't understand why the chrysalis would have been placed on a horizontal surface (typically they are suspended vertically so as to facilitate emergence and drying of the delicate wings. Finally I saw that it was in fact a beetle pupal case.

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I stuck around and watched as the parasitic chalcid wasp (Conura sp.) slowly chewed itself free from the pupal case of a tortoise beetle which it's mother had parasitized. The wasp can be seen here cleaning its wings before flying off to mate and infect other hosts:

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Leafcutter ants are an iconic representation of the tropics. Here a medium worker is carrying a leaf with a minor worker which guards it against phorid flies:

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This is an old photo from a different part of South America, but it illustrates the above point. Here a medium worker (Atta colombiana) without a minor worker acting in defence finds itself vulnerable to the parasitic phorid fly (Apocephalus colombicus). The medium worker whose jaws are occupied carrying a leaf can do nothing to protect itself as the phorid fly extends its striped ovipositor and deposits a larva directly into the mouth of the worker:

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Another species with an outsized reputation is the bullet ant (Paraponera clavata). It goes by different names in the different countries, Conga ant in Ecuador, Isula ant in Peru, but everywhere it is renowned for its painful sting which is said to feel like a gunshot (slightly overdramatized) and which lasts for up to 24hrs. These are also exceptionally large ants. Though not particularly aggressive towards people by nature, they are territorial and will readily attack ants from other colonies:

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Given the dominance of ants in the tropics, and their fierce reputations, it's no wonder that many species will take umbrage under the protection which any kind of verisimilitude will provide. Here an ant-mimicking sac spider (Myrmecium sp.) mimics an Ectatomma ant:

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A rare species of spider (Taczanowskia trilobata) which doesn't build webs, but rather releases a pheromone to attract male moths, and when they pass within striking distance, are grabbed hold of and quickly subdued:

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An age old story: The spider and the fly:

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Mating stilt-legged flies (Micropezidae). Though it's uncertain why, these flies often appear to be kissing, their mouthparts readily searching out those of their mate's. It could be a form of trophollaxis (food nutrient exchange on the part of the male as a nuptial gift to the female) or it could serve some other as yet to be determined purpose:

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Thanks for looking and commenting,
Paul

AlP
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Re: Manu national park: Part II

Post by AlP »

Very nice work, Paul. Images I'll probably never have an opportunity to see in real life. Keep 'em coming.

Sippyjug
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Re: Manu national park: Part II

Post by Sippyjug »

Absolutely outstanding series. =D> Thanks for sharing images of creatures that I would not be able to see otherwise.

pbertner
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Re: Manu national park: Part II

Post by pbertner »

Thanks Herman, thanks AIP, always appreciated!

Lou Jost
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Re: Manu national park: Part II

Post by Lou Jost »

Really excoiting to see those parasites, especially the parasite of the leafcutter ant in action. I've often explained the role of the "hitchhiker" ant to my visitors but I have never ever seen the fly in action, and never seen a photo of it either.

pbertner
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Re: Manu national park: Part II

Post by pbertner »

Hey Lou,

Yes it's probably the only shot online that one will see. I actually had the author of a paper of the researcher who first described the phorid fly contact me, asking to use the photo. I sometimes see phorid flies along leafcutter ant lines, but that's the only time I ever saw the actual process happening. At the time (that was nearly 10 years ago) I wasn't quite sure what was happening, only after I reviewed the photo did the light go on.

Cheers,
Paul

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