Movement patterns of Porcellio laevis in response to environmental stimuli

Presentation Type

Abstract

Faculty Advisor

Scott Kight

Access Type

Event

Start Date

25-4-2025 10:30 AM

End Date

25-4-2025 11:29 AM

Description

Porcellio laevis (Isopoda, Oniscidea) are known to avoid predatory ants. This study examined how factors like ant cues and environmental structure affect movement in P. laevis. We predicted that P. laevis would avoid areas with ants. In Experiment 1, isopods were exposed to ants in an inverted Petri dish on one side of an arena atop a resonating chamber. Unexpectedly, isopods spent more time on the side of the arena where the ants were located. Experiment 2 served as a control, with an empty Petri dish that did not contain ants. In response, time spent by isopods in both sections of the arena did not differ. To control for the petri dish being on one side of the arena, in Experiment 3 we placed empty Petri dishes in both sections. Surprisingly, isopods spent more time in the half of the arena in which they had been acclimated. Finally, to control for directional bias in Experiment 2, in Experiment 4 we acclimated the isopods on the other side of the arena, but with the empty petri dish on the opposite side. As in Experiment 2, there were no significant differences in time spent in the two areas. We conclude that isopod movement was influenced by a combination of environmental structure, ant cues, and potentially the location of prior acclimation.

Comments

Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.

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Apr 25th, 10:30 AM Apr 25th, 11:29 AM

Movement patterns of Porcellio laevis in response to environmental stimuli

Porcellio laevis (Isopoda, Oniscidea) are known to avoid predatory ants. This study examined how factors like ant cues and environmental structure affect movement in P. laevis. We predicted that P. laevis would avoid areas with ants. In Experiment 1, isopods were exposed to ants in an inverted Petri dish on one side of an arena atop a resonating chamber. Unexpectedly, isopods spent more time on the side of the arena where the ants were located. Experiment 2 served as a control, with an empty Petri dish that did not contain ants. In response, time spent by isopods in both sections of the arena did not differ. To control for the petri dish being on one side of the arena, in Experiment 3 we placed empty Petri dishes in both sections. Surprisingly, isopods spent more time in the half of the arena in which they had been acclimated. Finally, to control for directional bias in Experiment 2, in Experiment 4 we acclimated the isopods on the other side of the arena, but with the empty petri dish on the opposite side. As in Experiment 2, there were no significant differences in time spent in the two areas. We conclude that isopod movement was influenced by a combination of environmental structure, ant cues, and potentially the location of prior acclimation.