ANTENNAL DAMAGE AND REGENERATION IN SPRINGTAILS (COLLEMBOLA) IN RELATION TO PREDATION

(1) A significant proportion of unsuccessful attacks by the predator Notiophilus biguttatus (Carabidae) on Orchesella cincta (Collembola) results in damage to the springtails' antennae. (2) Regeneration of the loss occurs at several moults following the amputation, and is attended with an increase in moulting frequency. (3) The regenerated antenna is shorter and always less segmented than normal. (4) The frequency of O. cincta with damaged or regenerated antennae in the field depends on the size (i.e. age) of the springtails. (5) Use of these frequencies in evaluating the role of predators in the dynamics of the springtail population is discussed.