Burmoniscus sp. (Philosciidae) isopod feeding on a dead leaf. Photo 2023 Lam Weng Ngai.
Functional traits are a powerful tool in ecology, as they reveal how species interact with the environment and perform ecosystem functions. However, choosing meaningful traits for invertebrate ecology studies can be difficult.
In this recently published paper, Shawn Ang, an undergraduate researcher with the TEE Lab from Jan 2022 to Aug 2023, measured mouthpart traits of isopods from forests around Singapore. Isopods with different mouthpart morphologies were found to be associated with different forest types (primary forests versus recently abandoned rubber plantations). Isopods are important decomposers in forests, and their mouthpart morphologies likely also reveal how quickly they consume leaf litter and convert these to nutrients that can be reabsorbed by plants.
See the full paper here!
Dissected isopod mandible seen under a microscope. Photo 2023 Lam Weng Ngai.