"An Overview of the Species and Ecological Diversity of Ants"
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Coexistence Between Cyphomyrmex Ants and Dominant Populations Of
Behavioural Processes 74 (2007) 93–96 Coexistence between Cyphomyrmex ants and dominant populations of Wasmannia auropunctata Julien Grangier ∗, Julien Le Breton, Alain Dejean, Jer´ omeˆ Orivel Laboratoire Evolution et Diversit´e Biologique, UMR-CNRS 5174, Universit´e Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France Received 16 September 2005; received in revised form 17 October 2006; accepted 17 October 2006 Abstract The little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata is able to develop highly dominant populations in disturbed areas of its native range, with a resulting negative impact on ant diversity. We report here on the tolerance of such populations towards several fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex (rimosus complex) in French Guiana. This tolerance is surprising given the usually high interspecific aggressiveness of W. auropunctata when dominant. In order to understand the mechanisms behind such proximity, aggressiveness tests were performed between workers of the different species. These behavioural assays revealed a great passivity in Cyphomyrmex workers during confrontations with W. auropunctata workers. We also found that the aggressiveness between W. auropunctata and two Cyphomyrmex species was more intense between distant nests than between adjacent ones. This dear–enemy phenomenon may result from a process of habituation contributing to the ants’ ability to coexist over the long term. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Aggressiveness; Cyphomyrmex; Dear–enemy phenomenon; Habituation; Wasmannia auropunctata 1. Introduction present study, we evaluate the possible mechanisms behind this coexistence. Native to the Neotropics, the little fire ant Wasmannia aurop- unctata (Roger) (Myrmicinae) is one of the most problematic 2. Materials and methods invasive ants known, with accompanying ecological and eco- nomical consequences (Holway et al., 2002). -
Atta: Information Technologies for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Instituto Nacional De Biodiversidad (Inbio)
Atta: Information Technologies for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio) Company: Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio) Website: http://www.inbio.ac.cr Social network outlets: www.facebook.com/inbio / www.twitter.com/inbiocr National and International Accolades: The project was recognized with the Tech Museum Award in 2003, organized by the Tech Museum of Innovation. Also with the award Augusto González de Linares of Environment in 2004, organized by the Cantabria University, the Environmental counsel and Territorial Organization of the Cantabria government and the company Residuos de Cantabria. In addition, it reached 1st place on the II National Contest of Websites in 2005 organized by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT), the Costa Rican Electrical Institute (ICE) and Radiográfica Costarricense (RACSA). Reached 2nd place on the Ibero-American best portals of 2005, organized by the Asociación Hispanoamericana de Centros de Investigación y Empresas de Telecomunicaciones (AHCIET) It was also named the winner of the Green Solution category on the “Costa Rica Verde e Inteligente” Awards (CAMTIC, 2015) Company Description: The National Biodiversity Institute (INBio) is a research and biodiversity management center, established in 1989 to support efforts to learn about biological biodiversity of Costa Rica and promote its sustainable use. The institute works under the premise that the better way to preserve biodiversity is by learning about it, studying it, appreciating it and taking advantage of the opportunities that it offers in order to improve the quality of life of human beings. It is a civil society organization, non-governmental and with a nonprofit philosophy, that works with a public interest end. -
Major Clades of Agaricales: a Multilocus Phylogenetic Overview
Mycologia, 98(6), 2006, pp. 982–995. # 2006 by The Mycological Society of America, Lawrence, KS 66044-8897 Major clades of Agaricales: a multilocus phylogenetic overview P. Brandon Matheny1 Duur K. Aanen Judd M. Curtis Laboratory of Genetics, Arboretumlaan 4, 6703 BD, Biology Department, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Wageningen, The Netherlands Worcester, Massachusetts, 01610 Matthew DeNitis Vale´rie Hofstetter 127 Harrington Way, Worcester, Massachusetts 01604 Department of Biology, Box 90338, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708 Graciela M. Daniele Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biologı´a Vegetal, M. Catherine Aime CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Co´rdoba, Casilla USDA-ARS, Systematic Botany and Mycology de Correo 495, 5000 Co´rdoba, Argentina Laboratory, Room 304, Building 011A, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350 Dennis E. Desjardin Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Jean-Marc Moncalvo San Francisco, California 94132 Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Royal Ontario Museum and Department of Botany, University Bradley R. Kropp of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6 Canada Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322 Zai-Wei Ge Zhu-Liang Yang Lorelei L. Norvell Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Pacific Northwest Mycology Service, 6720 NW Skyline Sciences, Kunming 650204, P.R. China Boulevard, Portland, Oregon 97229-1309 Jason C. Slot Andrew Parker Biology Department, Clark University, 950 Main Street, 127 Raven Way, Metaline Falls, Washington 99153- Worcester, Massachusetts, 01609 9720 Joseph F. Ammirati Else C. Vellinga University of Washington, Biology Department, Box Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, 111 355325, Seattle, Washington 98195 Koshland Hall, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-3102 Timothy J. -
Ecology and the Evolution of Worker Morphological Diversity: a Comparative Analysis with Eciton Army Ants
Functional Ecology 2006 Ecology and the evolution of worker morphological diversity: a comparative analysis with Eciton army ants SCOTT POWELL*f and NIGEL R. FRANKS School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol, Avon, BS8 1UG, UK Summary 1. Certain ants have considerable morphological diversity within the workforce, with individuals physically specialized for particular jobs. The ecological conditions that select for this phenomenon are still poorly understood. 2. We use a comparative analysis to address the hypothesis that prey type has selected for greater morphological diversity in the small, monophyletic army ant genus Eciton. These ants are nomadic group-predators and transport loads in the limited space below the body, so bulkier prey types should select for more diverse worker morphology. 3. We show that five Eciton species differ in the presence or absence of a distinct 'submajor caste', the morphological exaggeration of submajors when present, and the allometric scaling of standard workers over a broad size range. Crucially, the presence and morphological exaggeration of submajors is associated with the variety of awkwardly shaped prey types that the species takes, and this caste specializes in prey transport. 4. Our findings support the importance of dietary composition in the evolution of worker morphological diversity in Eciton and demonstrate the utility of our general approach. Future critical tests of this hypothesis are discussed, as well as how our approach can contribute to a broader understanding of the relationship between ecology and the evolution of worker morphological diversity. Key-words: allometry, caste, Ecitoninae, polymorphism, prey transport Functional Ecology (2006) doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2006.01184.x degree of worker polymorphism (allometric scaling of Introduction body parts over a broad size range) and distinct worker Specialization within the workforce is central to the types or castes are rarer still (Oster & Wilson 1978). -
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Myrmecological News 19 61-64 Vienna, January 2014 A novel intramandibular gland in the ant Tatuidris tatusia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Johan BILLEN & Thibaut DELSINNE Abstract The mandibles of Tatuidris tatusia workers are completely filled with glandular cells that represent a novel kind of intra- mandibular gland that has not been found in ants so far. Whereas the known intramandibular glands in ants are either epi- thelial glands of class-1, or scattered class-3 cells that open through equally scattered pores on the mandibular surface, the ducts of the numerous class-3 secretory cells of Tatuidris all converge to open through a conspicuous sieve plate at the proximal ventral side near the inner margin of each mandible. Key words: Exocrine glands, mandibles, histology, Agroecomyrmecinae. Myrmecol. News 19: 61-64 (online 16 August 2013) ISSN 1994-4136 (print), ISSN 1997-3500 (online) Received 31 May 2013; revision received 5 July 2013; accepted 16 July 2013 Subject Editor: Alexander S. Mikheyev Johan Billen (contact author), Zoological Institute, University of Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, box 2466, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. E-mail: [email protected] Thibaut Delsinne, Biological Assessment Section, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium. E-mail: [email protected] Introduction Ants are well known as walking glandular factories, with that T. tatusia is a top predator of the leaf-litter food web an impressive overall variety of 75 glands recorded so far (JACQUEMIN & al. in press). We took advantage of the for the family (BILLEN 2009a). The glands are not only availability of two live specimens to carry out a first study found in the head, thorax and abdomen, but also occur in of the internal morphology in the Agroecomyrmecinae. -
Native and Non-Native Ant Impacts on Native Fungi
State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College Digital Commons at Buffalo State Biology Theses Biology 8-2021 Native and non-native ant impacts on native fungi Chloe Mokadam State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College, [email protected] Advisor Robert J. Warren II, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology First Reader Christopher Pennuto, Ph.D., Professor of Biology Second Reader Olga Novikova, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology Department Chair Daniel L. Potts, Ph.D., Chair and Associate Professor of Biology To learn more about the Biology Department and its educational programs, research, and resources, go to https://biology.buffalostate.edu/. Recommended Citation Mokadam, Chloe, "Native and non-native ant impacts on native fungi" (2021). Biology Theses. 45. https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/biology_theses/45 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/biology_theses Part of the Biology Commons Native and non-native ant impacts on native fungi by Chloe Mokadam An Abstract of a Thesis in Biology Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts August 2021 Buffalo State College State University of New York Department of Biology 1 ABSTRACT OF THESIS Non-native ant impacts on native fungi Organisms produce weapons for defense against pathogens and competitors. In response, competitors and pathogens develop resistance to these weapons. However, when a species invades a new range, its “novel weapons” may be more effective against native species that did not co-evolve with them. Via specialized glands and microbial associates, ants produce antifungal weapons for defense against entomopathogenic fungi. -
The Functions and Evolution of Social Fluid Exchange in Ant Colonies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Marie-Pierre Meurville & Adria C
ISSN 1997-3500 Myrmecological News myrmecologicalnews.org Myrmecol. News 31: 1-30 doi: 10.25849/myrmecol.news_031:001 13 January 2021 Review Article Trophallaxis: the functions and evolution of social fluid exchange in ant colonies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Marie-Pierre Meurville & Adria C. LeBoeuf Abstract Trophallaxis is a complex social fluid exchange emblematic of social insects and of ants in particular. Trophallaxis behaviors are present in approximately half of all ant genera, distributed over 11 subfamilies. Across biological life, intra- and inter-species exchanged fluids tend to occur in only the most fitness-relevant behavioral contexts, typically transmitting endogenously produced molecules adapted to exert influence on the receiver’s physiology or behavior. Despite this, many aspects of trophallaxis remain poorly understood, such as the prevalence of the different forms of trophallaxis, the components transmitted, their roles in colony physiology and how these behaviors have evolved. With this review, we define the forms of trophallaxis observed in ants and bring together current knowledge on the mechanics of trophallaxis, the contents of the fluids transmitted, the contexts in which trophallaxis occurs and the roles these behaviors play in colony life. We identify six contexts where trophallaxis occurs: nourishment, short- and long-term decision making, immune defense, social maintenance, aggression, and inoculation and maintenance of the gut microbiota. Though many ideas have been put forth on the evolution of trophallaxis, our analyses support the idea that stomodeal trophallaxis has become a fixed aspect of colony life primarily in species that drink liquid food and, further, that the adoption of this behavior was key for some lineages in establishing ecological dominance. -
James K. Wetterer
James K. Wetterer Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University 5353 Parkside Drive, Jupiter, FL 33458 Phone: (561) 799-8648; FAX: (561) 799-8602; e-mail: [email protected] EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, Seattle, WA, 9/83 - 8/88 Ph.D., Zoology: Ecology and Evolution; Advisor: Gordon H. Orians. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, East Lansing, MI, 9/81 - 9/83 M.S., Zoology: Ecology; Advisors: Earl E. Werner and Donald J. Hall. CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca, NY, 9/76 - 5/79 A.B., Biology: Ecology and Systematics. UNIVERSITÉ DE PARIS III, France, 1/78 - 5/78 Semester abroad: courses in theater, literature, and history of art. WORK EXPERIENCE FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY, Wilkes Honors College 8/04 - present: Professor 7/98 - 7/04: Associate Professor Teaching: Biodiversity, Principles of Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, Human Ecology, Environmental Studies, Tropical Ecology, Field Biology, Life Science, and Scientific Writing 9/03 - 1/04 & 5/04 - 8/04: Fulbright Scholar; Ants of Trinidad and Tobago COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, Department of Earth and Environmental Science 7/96 - 6/98: Assistant Professor Teaching: Community Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, and Tropical Ecology WHEATON COLLEGE, Department of Biology 8/94 - 6/96: Visiting Assistant Professor Teaching: General Ecology and Introductory Biology HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Museum of Comparative Zoology 8/91- 6/94: Post-doctoral Fellow; Behavior, ecology, and evolution of fungus-growing ants Advisors: Edward O. Wilson, Naomi Pierce, and Richard Lewontin 9/95 - 1/96: Teaching: Ethology PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 7/89 - 7/91: Research Associate; Ecology and evolution of leaf-cutting ants Advisor: Stephen Hubbell 1/91 - 5/91: Teaching: Tropical Ecology, Introduction to the Scientific Method VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, Department of Psychology 9/88 - 7/89: Post-doctoral Fellow; Visual psychophysics of fish and horseshoe crabs Advisor: Maureen K. -
Symbiotic Adaptations in the Fungal Cultivar of Leaf-Cutting Ants
ARTICLE Received 15 Apr 2014 | Accepted 24 Oct 2014 | Published 1 Dec 2014 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6675 Symbiotic adaptations in the fungal cultivar of leaf-cutting ants Henrik H. De Fine Licht1,w, Jacobus J. Boomsma2 & Anders Tunlid1 Centuries of artificial selection have dramatically improved the yield of human agriculture; however, strong directional selection also occurs in natural symbiotic interactions. Fungus- growing attine ants cultivate basidiomycete fungi for food. One cultivar lineage has evolved inflated hyphal tips (gongylidia) that grow in bundles called staphylae, to specifically feed the ants. Here we show extensive regulation and molecular signals of adaptive evolution in gene trancripts associated with gongylidia biosynthesis, morphogenesis and enzymatic plant cell wall degradation in the leaf-cutting ant cultivar Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. Comparative analysis of staphylae growth morphology and transcriptome-wide expressional and nucleotide divergence indicate that gongylidia provide leaf-cutting ants with essential amino acids and plant-degrading enzymes, and that they may have done so for 20–25 million years without much evolutionary change. These molecular traits and signatures of selection imply that staphylae are highly advanced coevolutionary organs that play pivotal roles in the mutualism between leaf-cutting ants and their fungal cultivars. 1 Microbial Ecology Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden. 2 Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. w Present Address: Section for Organismal Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to H.H.D.F.L. -
Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae): the First Neuropteran Fossil in Rovno Amber (Ukraine)
© Entomologica Fennica. 7 March 2008 Archiconiocompsa prisca Enderlein (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae): The first neuropteran fossil in Rovno amber (Ukraine) Janusz Kupryj anowicz & Vladimir N. Makarkin Kupryjanowicz, J. & Makarkin, V. N. 2008: Archiconiocompsaprisca Enderlein (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae): The first neuropteran fossil in Rovno amber (Ukraine). — Entomol. Fennica 19: 25—3 1. Archiconiocompsaprisca Enderlein, previously known from Baltic amber, is re- corded in Rovno amber. A discussion of the systematic position of this mono- typic genus is provided; it is tentatively assigned to Coniocompsini (Aleuro- pteryginae). J. Kupryjanowicz, Institute ofBiology, University ofBialystok, Swierkowa 20 B, 15—950 Bialystok, and Museum ofthe Earth Polish Academy ofSciences, Al. Na Sharpie 26/2 7, 00—488 Warszawa, Poland; E—mail.‘ [email protected] V. N. Makarkin (corresponding author), Institute ofBiology and Soil Sciences, Far Eastern Branch ofthe Russian Academy ofSciences, Vladivostok, 690022, Russia; E—mail.‘ [email protected] Received 22 March 2007, accepted 19 May 2007 1. Introduction Eocene in the age (Engel & Perkovsky 2006a, Perkovsky et al. 2007). Amber and its insect inclusions from the Rovno In this paper, we report the first neuropteran Region ofUkraine is currently attracting much at- from Rovno amber, the coniopterygid species tention, and it has recently been intensively stud- Archiconiocompsa prisca Enderlein, previously ied (e.g., Dlussky 2002, Dlussky & Perkovsky known from Baltic amber, and discuss the sys- 2002, Simutnik 2002, Kononova 2003, Perkov- tematic position of the genus. sky et al. 2003a,b, 2007, Putshkov & Popov The family Coniopterygidae today is com- 2003, Fedotova & Perkovsky 2004, 2005, Per- prised ofminute insects with reduced wing vena— kovsky & Fedotova 2004, Polilov & Perkovsky tion; it has relatively few species, distributed 2004, Gumovsky & Perkovsky 2005, Tolkanitz world wide. -
Nest Site Selection During Colony Relocation in Yucatan Peninsula Populations of the Ponerine Ants Neoponera Villosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
insects Article Nest Site Selection during Colony Relocation in Yucatan Peninsula Populations of the Ponerine Ants Neoponera villosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Franklin H. Rocha 1, Jean-Paul Lachaud 1,2, Yann Hénaut 1, Carmen Pozo 1 and Gabriela Pérez-Lachaud 1,* 1 El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Conservación de la Biodiversidad, Avenida Centenario km 5.5, Chetumal 77014, Quintana Roo, Mexico; [email protected] (F.H.R.); [email protected] (J.-P.L.); [email protected] (Y.H.); [email protected] (C.P.) 2 Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse; CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +52-98-3835-0440 Received: 15 January 2020; Accepted: 19 March 2020; Published: 23 March 2020 Abstract: In the Yucatan Peninsula, the ponerine ant Neoponera villosa nests almost exclusively in tank bromeliads, Aechmea bracteata. In this study, we aimed to determine the factors influencing nest site selection during nest relocation which is regularly promoted by hurricanes in this area. Using ants with and without previous experience of Ae. bracteata, we tested their preference for refuges consisting of Ae. bracteata leaves over two other bromeliads, Ae. bromeliifolia and Ananas comosus. We further evaluated bromeliad-associated traits that could influence nest site selection (form and size). Workers with and without previous contact with Ae. bracteata significantly preferred this species over others, suggesting the existence of an innate attraction to this bromeliad. However, preference was not influenced by previous contact with Ae. bracteata. Workers easily discriminated between shelters of Ae. bracteata and A. -
Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Brazilian Forest Plantations
Forests 2014, 5, 439-454; doi:10.3390/f5030439 OPEN ACCESS forests ISSN 1999-4907 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests Review An Overview of Integrated Management of Leaf-Cutting Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Brazilian Forest Plantations Ronald Zanetti 1, José Cola Zanuncio 2,*, Juliana Cristina Santos 1, Willian Lucas Paiva da Silva 1, Genésio Tamara Ribeiro 3 and Pedro Guilherme Lemes 2 1 Laboratório de Entomologia Florestal, Universidade Federal de Lavras, 37200-000, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil; E-Mails: [email protected] (R.Z.); [email protected] (J.C.S.); [email protected] (W.L.P.S.) 2 Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil; E-Mail: [email protected] 3 Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, 49100-000, São Cristóvão, Sergipe State, Brazil; E-Mail: [email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +55-31-389-925-34; Fax: +55-31-389-929-24. Received: 18 December 2013; in revised form: 19 February 2014 / Accepted: 19 February 2014 / Published: 20 March 2014 Abstract: Brazilian forest producers have developed integrated management programs to increase the effectiveness of the control of leaf-cutting ants of the genera Atta and Acromyrmex. These measures reduced the costs and quantity of insecticides used in the plantations. Such integrated management programs are based on monitoring the ant nests, as well as the need and timing of the control methods. Chemical control employing baits is the most commonly used method, however, biological, mechanical and cultural control methods, besides plant resistance, can reduce the quantity of chemicals applied in the plantations.