External marking of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda, Oniscidea): efficiency of materials and influence on feeding behavior

Abstract Many monitoring studies use marking techniques to obtain dispersal data on individuals. Marking procedures may influence the vital activities of the terrestrial isopods, such as feeding behavior. The objective of this study was to identify the efficiency of different materials for external marking of woodlice and the influence on their feeding performance. Cyanoacrylate glue + glitter and nail polish were used as separate marking materials on three species: Balloniscus glaber, Benthana picta and Armadillidium vulgare. The material efficiency was compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and Log-Rank analysis. Individuals were fed with leaf discs of Machaerium stipitatum for feeding performance trials, and consumption rates were compared using ANOVA (α&lt;0.05). There was no difference in durability between the materials used for external markings, except between marked and unmarked Benthana specimens when the observation period exceeded 15 days (Log-Rank=8.446, p=0.015). Nail polish was considered more suitable for feeding experiments. Statistical differences in consumption rates were observed only between the marked individual treatments of Benthana (ANOVA, F=7.5440, p=0.0002). These results indicate that external marking does not affect the feeding habits of the animals and suggest that this technique can be used to monitor dispersal of terrestrial isopods in field conditions for approximately 15 days.摘要 诸多监测研究采用标记技术获取个体扩散相关数据。标记操作可能对陆生等足类（terrestrial isopods）的生命活动，如取食行为，产生影响。本研究旨在明确适用于潮虫（woodlice）体外标记的不同材料的标记效率，及其对潮虫取食表现的影响。研究选用氰基丙烯酸酯胶+闪光粉与指甲油作为两种独立的标记材料，分别对3个物种——光滑球潮虫（Balloniscus glaber）、斑纹本土潮虫（Benthana picta）以及普通卷甲虫（Armadillidium vulgare）——进行体外标记。采用Kaplan-Meier生存曲线（Kaplan-Meier curves）与对数秩检验（Log-Rank analysis）比较不同标记材料的标记效率。以柱荚黄檀（Machaerium stipitatum）的叶碟开展取食性能试验，采用方差分析（Analysis of Variance，ANOVA，α<0.05）比较各组受试个体的取食速率。结果表明，仅当观察时长超过15天时，斑纹本土潮虫的标记组与未标记组间存在显著差异（对数秩检验：Log-Rank=8.446，p=0.015），其余各组标记材料的标记持久性均无显著差异。研究认为指甲油更适用于取食实验。仅在斑纹本土潮虫的标记组间观察到取食速率的统计学差异（方差分析：F=7.5440，p=0.0002）。上述结果表明，体外标记技术不会对受试动物的取食习性产生影响，提示该技术可用于野外条件下陆生等足类的扩散监测，有效监测时长约为15天。