Daily and seasonal time partitioning in surface activity of Porcellio albinus (Isopoda, Oniscidea) in the arid region of Zarat (Gabes, Tunisia)

By

Medini Bouaziz, Lamia
Sonia, Hamaied
Ouni, Ahmed
El Gtari, Mohamed

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1101

Pages

203--212

Subjects

Burrowing species , circadian rhythm , desert , epigeic activity , Woodlice

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1101.73834

 

Abstract

The terrestrial isopod Porcellio albinus is a burrowing species, dwelling in the desert of south Tunisia. Field studies were carried out in the coastal area of Zarat, Tunisia, to examine the surface activity rhythm of P. albinus in relation to daily and seasonal variations in environmental conditions. The activity of P. albinus was followed once a month, from November 2012 through October 2013. Hourly capture frequency was compared across the different seasons of the year. Porcellio albinus is a strictly nocturnal species showing a nycthemeral rhythm regulated by the rhythmic and natural variations of the duration of the dark period. A positive correlation is observed between the circadian rhythm of the locomotor activity of the species and the duration of the dark period outside its burrow, P. albinus has a single daily activity peak. Individuals concentrated their activity in the first part of the night in winter and in the second part in summer. This peak is more spread out in spring and autumn. The differences in the activity rhythm of P. albinus between different seasons may be determined by two important factors, namely temperature and the length of the dark period.