Camptocerus Natural History Videos

Camptocerus courtship: A male Camptocerus sp. 1 is on Protium amazonicum bark at an entrance hole created by and occupied by a female. The male periodically brushes his antennal funicle setae across the female’s elytra, producing a “fluttering” noise. He also bumps his frons against her abdomen and chirps using his elytra-abdominal stridulatory mechanism. The male’s abdominal segments vibrate as he chirps.

Mate competition: Two male Camptocerus sp. 1 are on the bark of Protium amazonicum. The first male courts a female by butting his frons against her abdomen as she sits in the entrance tunnel to her gallery. The second male walks on the bark near the first male and female. As the second male approaches the pair, the first male pushes him away with his frons and promptly returns to the female. He resumes the courtship behaviour. 

Crematogaster predation: A moribund male Camptocerus sp. 1 was attacked on Protium amazonicum bark and is carried off by numerous Crematogaster workers. Ants also enter the gallery where the female was present.