COMPORTAMENTO TERRITORIAL EM INSETOS: ASPECTOS CONCEITUAIS E ESTUDOS DE CASOS

Abstract

Our objective in this review, about insect territorial behavior, isn't to provide an exhaustive discussion on this issue, but to establish the major theoretical aspects on this theme, for anyone that initiate their studies on it. The paper includes: a) a review about the concept of territoriality, based on the former ideas developed from vertebrate studies and its applicability to insects; b) the major problems in the use these concepts, in special mistakes with other terms related to the spatial distribution of individuals or other behaviors, associated to competition for resources; c) theoretical considerations on territoriality and, d) case studies in Odonata, as examples on those issues.