The feeding and conversion of leaf litter by the pillbug armadillo officinalis (isopoda, oniscidea)

Abstract

Abstract The growth and food conversion of the pillbug Armadillo officinalis Dumeril 1816, fed on the leaves of Myoporum serratum or Carthamus lanatus for 30 days, were determined. A steady increase in the body mass of A. officinalis fed on either diet was observed during the initial 15 days of the experimental period, with a decrease thereafter. A sigmoid growth pattern was observed in those fed on M. serratum. A significant difference in the moisture contents of the animals fed on the two diets with that of the zero‐time control was discernible. Animals fed on M. serratum consumed a larger quantity of food energy (4855 J/animal/30 days) in comparison with those fed on C. lanatus (978 J/animal/30 days). Significantly different assimilation efficiencies were obtained for this pillbug fed on the two diets (F — 11.06; p < .01). An inverse relationship was found between the rate of ingestion and the efficiency of absorption. Higher values of growth and net production efficiencies were found in those fed on C...