Life cycle differences between two coexisting species of supratidal rockpools: Ochthebius quadricollis Mulsant, 1844 and Ochthebius lejolisii Mulsant & Rey, 1861 (Coleoptera, Hydraenidae)

Resumen

The knowledge of the life cycle of species occurring in extreme environments such as supratidal rockpools is crucial to better understand mechanisms enabling their coexistence and to predict the species responsesto climate change. Here, we compared the life cycle of two Ochthebius species (O. lejolisii and O. quadricollis) living on the Iberian Mediterraneancoast and highlighted their main differences referred to breeding period,oviposition rate, egg hatching success, duration of life cycle stages througha combination of field and laboratory approaches. The results showed thatthe breeding period of both species expanded most of the year, showingoverlap in spring and autumn. While oviposition and larval developmentin O. quadricollis was limited in winter, it seems not to be limited by lowtemperatures in O. lejolisii. In the laboratory, at 20ºC, no differences between species were found in oviposition rate and larval development time.However, egg development time was shorter in O. lejolisii than in O. quadricollis. Moreover, the latter had more successful egg hatching, whichalong with a shorter overall life cycle time gives it higher demographicsuccess and advantage to face climate change.