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Abstract:
The life-cycle and ecology of four nocturnal species of Meinertellidae are given and their
adaptation from Amazonian dryland to inundation forests is discussed. In primary and secondary
dryland forests, Neomachilellus scandens, N. amazonicus and Meinertellus adisi are arboricolous, show
no defined reproduction period and juveniles are found throughout the year. In inundation forests of
the Rio Negro valley, which are annually flooded for 5 - 6 months, N. scandens, N. adisi and, M. adisi
have one generation per year. Annual inundation is considered as the main reason for the acquisition
of a seasonal development. In N. scandens, juveniles hatch from previously submerged eggs on the forest
floor at the beginning of the non-inundation period and reach maturity after 3 months. Adults propagate
in the litter, where females deposit their eggs which are subject to the next flooding. Both sexes subsequently migrate into the trunk/canopy area and perish. N. adisi is restricted to inundation forests and
liyes on tree trunks where eggs undergo facultative flooding.
