Reciprocal intraguild predation between Neoseiulus barkeri and Amblyseius swirskii (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae): Does experience affect anti-intraguild predation behaviors?

In order to increase their inclusive fitness, animals predominantly probe their changing environment for predation cues to adopt appropriate antipredator strategies and decrease the costs of defensive behavior. Intraguild predation (IGP) occurs when a predator kills and consumes individuals of another predator which is its competitor for a shared prey. IGP is prevalent among predatory mites of the family Phytoseiidae which are used as biological control agents of agricultural pests worldwide. Phytoseiid mite mothers usually display antipredator behaviors to avoid or reduce IGP risk of their juveniles. When facing a novel IGP risk, experience may enable the mothers to display more efficient antipredator responses. We studied the effect of experience on reciprocal antipredator behaviors of an indigenous predatory phytoseiid mite, i.e., Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes, and an exotic one, i.e., Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, as biological control candidates for integrated pest management strategies in Iran. First, we determined the occurrence of IGP and mutual risk of the predators within the guild; IGP occurred reciprocally and A. swirskii was the stronger IG predator. Second, in choice situations between a patch with only shared prey and a patch with shared prey plus IGP risk cues, we scrutinized patch choice, oviposition site selection and ability to counterattack by females of each species that had either experienced the IGP risk or not. The experience did not affect patch choice and oviposition behaviors of the species whereas it elicited an increase in their predation on IG predator juveniles. We suggest that the presence of IG predator juveniles and cues may not significantly modify the distribution of the IG prey species. The reinforced counterattack behavior in experienced females showed that both species were able to tune their antipredator behavior after exposure to IG predators. Consequences of the antipredator behaviors in experienced IG prey females on distribution and possibilities of the coexistence of the study species are discussed.