Gnamptogenys hartmani Wheeler (Ponerinae: Ectatommini): an agro-predator of Trachymyrmex and Sericomyrmex fungus-growing ants.

Détails

ID Serval
serval:BIB_67987743EFEA
Type
Article: article d'un périodique ou d'un magazine.
Collection
Publications
Titre
Gnamptogenys hartmani Wheeler (Ponerinae: Ectatommini): an agro-predator of Trachymyrmex and Sericomyrmex fungus-growing ants.
Périodique
Die Naturwissenschaften
Auteur⸱e⸱s
Dijkstra M.B., Boomsma J.J.
ISSN
0028-1042 (Print)
ISSN-L
0028-1042
Statut éditorial
Publié
Date de publication
2003
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
90
Numéro
12
Pages
568-571
Langue
anglais
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Résumé
The fungus gardens of fungus-growing ants are a potentially valuable resource for exploitation by natural enemies, but few of these antagonistic interactions have been studied. Here we describe key aspects of the behavioral ecology of Gnamptogenys hartmani (Ponerinae: Ectatommini), a specialized "agro-predator" of Trachymyrmex and Sericomyrmex fungus-growing ants in Panama. Raiding columns of G. hartmani attack and usurp nests with remarkably little effort: a few intruding workers are sufficient to cause panic among the attine ants and make them abscond from the nest. Both G. hartmani larvae and adults consume the fungus and the host brood, after which the colony migrates to a new fungus-growing ant nest discovered by scouting workers. The morphology of the G. hartmani larval mouthparts is similar to that of Gnamptogenys species with a non-fungal diet. However, we suggest that the presence of long spinules on the larval mandibles in the genus Gnamptogenys, comparable to those found in attine larvae, may have pre-adapted G. hartmani to fungus eating. G. hartmani workers do not actively maintain or modify fungus gardens, which makes them less efficient exploiters than Megalomyrmex, the only other agro-predatory ant species known so far.
Mots-clé
Animals, Ants/microbiology, Female, Fungi/isolation & purification, Male, Microscopy, Electron, Scanning, Mouth/microbiology, Mouth/ultrastructure, Panama, Plants/microbiology, Predatory Behavior
Pubmed
Web of science
Création de la notice
28/02/2008 14:26
Dernière modification de la notice
20/08/2019 15:23
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