Abstract

Dichroplus maculipennis is one of the most damaging grasshoppers of wetlands. We investigated their feeding behavior in relation to the most abundant plants of Patagonian wetlands. Results showed that D. maculipennis was able to select its food resources and displayed a mixed diet. The most consumed plant was Taraxacum officinale, which contains a large amount of protein and water. However, consumption decreased when offered simultaneously with Juncus balticus and Holcus lanatus. Therefore, diet varied according to the supply of plants that were offered. In future studies, it would be interesting to analyze the influence of diet on performance.

摘要

Dichroplus maculipennis是湿地最具破坏性的蚱蜢之一。我们调查了它们与巴塔哥尼亚湿地最丰富植物的摄食行为。结果表明，D. maculipennis能够选择其食物资源并表现出混合饮食。消耗最多的植物是蒲公英，它含有大量的蛋白质和水分。然而，当与Juncus balticus和Holcus lanatus同时提供时，消耗量减少。因此，饮食根据提供的植物供应而变化。在未来的研究中，分析饮食对表现的影响会很有趣。