MATRIPHAGY IN THE NEOTROPICAL PSEUDOSCORPION PARATEMNOIDES NIDIFICATOR (BALZAN 1888) (ATEMNIDAE)

Abstract

We studied the natural history and social behavior of Paratemnoides nidificator (Balzan 1888) in a tropical savanna system. Females were responsible for all nymphal care. We observed, for the first time in pseudoscorpions, the occurrence of matriphagy behavior by the offspring. During conditions of food deprivation, the mother went out of the nest and passively awaited the protonymphs' attack, not reacting to the capture nor to the nymphs feeding on her body. We suggest that this extreme form of parental care, matriphagy, can reduce cannibalism among protonymphs and facilitate the evolution of social behavior in pseudoscorpions.