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Escovopsis Kreiselii Sp
RESEARCH ARTICLE New Light on the Systematics of Fungi Associated with Attine Ant Gardens and the Description of Escovopsis kreiselii sp. nov. Lucas A. Meirelles1, Quimi V. Montoya1, Scott E. Solomon2, Andre Rodrigues1* 1 Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil, 2 Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States of America * [email protected] Abstract Since the formal description of fungi in the genus Escovopsis in 1990, only a few studies have focused on the systematics of this group. For more than two decades, only two Escovopsis species were described; however, in 2013, three additional Escovopsis species were formally OPEN ACCESS described along with the genus Escovopsioides, both found exclusively in attine ant gardens. Citation: Meirelles LA, Montoya QV, Solomon SE, During a survey for Escovopsis species in gardens of the lower attine ant Mycetophylax Rodrigues A (2015) New Light on the Systematics of morschi in Brazil, we found four strains belonging to the pink-colored Escovopsis clade. Fungi Associated with Attine Ant Gardens and the Careful examination of these strains revealed significant morphological differences when Description of Escovopsis kreiselii sp. nov.. PLoS ONE 10(1): e0112067. doi:10.1371/journal. compared to previously described species of Escovopsis and Escovopsioides.Basedon pone.0112067 the type of conidiogenesis (sympodial), as well as morphology of conidiogenous cells Academic Editor: Nicole M. Gerardo, Emory (percurrent), non-vesiculated -
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. -
Escovopsioides As a Fungal Antagonist of the Fungus Cultivated by Leafcutter Ants Julio Flavio Osti1 and Andre Rodrigues1,2*
Osti and Rodrigues BMC Microbiology (2018) 18:130 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-018-1265-x RESEARCHARTICLE Open Access Escovopsioides as a fungal antagonist of the fungus cultivated by leafcutter ants Julio Flavio Osti1 and Andre Rodrigues1,2* Abstract Background: Fungus gardens of fungus-growing (attine) ants harbor complex microbiomes in addition to the mutualistic fungus they cultivate for food. Fungi in the genus Escovopsioides were recently described as members of this microbiome but their role in the ant-fungus symbiosis is poorly known. In this study, we assessed the phylogenetic diversity of 21 Escovopsioides isolates obtained from fungus gardens of leafcutter ants (genera Atta and Acromyrmex) and non-leafcutter ants (genera Trachymyrmex and Apterostigma) sampled from several regions in Brazil. Results: Regardless of the sample locality or ant genera, phylogenetic analysis showed low genetic diversity among the 20 Escovopsisoides isolates examined, which prompted the identification as Escovopsioides nivea (the only described species in the genus). In contrast, one Escovopsioides isolate obtained from a fungus garden of Apterostigma megacephala was considered a new phylogenetic species. Dual-culture plate assays showed that Escovopsioides isolates inhibited the mycelium growth of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, the mutualistic fungus cultivated by somes species of leafcutter ants. In addition, Escovopsioides growth experiments in fungus gardens with and without ant workers showed this fungus is detrimental to the ant-fungus symbiosis. Conclusions: Here, we provide clues for the antagonism of Escovopsioides towards the mutualistic fungus of leafcutter ants. Keywords: Hypocreales, Attine ants, Escovopsis,Symbiosis Background garden. In fact, a diverse and rich microbial community Fungus-growing ants in the tribe Attini are found only on consisting of bacteria, yeasts, and filamentous fungi are also the American continent [1]. -
Etolog{A, Vol. 5, 1997 Behavioral Ecology of Mating and Colony Founding in the Grass-Cutting Ant, Acromyrmex Balzani (Hymenopte
Etolog{a, Vol. 5, 1997 Behavioral ecology of mating and colony founding in the grass-cutting ant, Acromyrmex balzani (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Harold G. Fowler* Reproductive behavior of Acromyrmex balzani ABSTRACT. Behavioral ecology of mating and colony founding in the grass-cutting ant, Acromyrmex balzani (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). - The grass-cutting ant Acromyrmex balzani conducts nuptial flights at dusk, often during light rain. The daily timing of flights is invariant, but annual occurrence is dependent upon meterological conditions. Males form aggregations over shrubs or other prominent objects, into which females fly to be mated. These aggregation sites are used perennially. Sexual com petition among males is intense, with an average of 4 males simultaneously competing foraccess to each female in a mating ball. Multiple matings of females are common. The male genetial capsule is detat ched and retained in the female genetalia upon mating, and femalesremove these prior to flying to mate again. Females found colonies independently and are not claustral. KEY WORDS: Acromyrmex balzani; behaviour; mating; sexual competition; haplometrosis; colony founding; sex-ratio Introduction formation of leks in the male-aggregation syndrome is also common (Holldobler & Wilson, 1990). Boomsma and Leusink ( 1981) demonstrated that, in Mating behaviour in ants is still poorly spite of the diel rhythmicity of nuptial flights, cli documented. Holldobler & Wilson (1990) recognize matic conditions, especially rain, are major determi two mating strategies: the female-callingsyndrome, nants of which day they occur. and the male-aggregation syndrome. The first syn In the Neotropics, the leaf-cutting ants drome is found primarily in species with wingless (Atta and Acromyrmex spp.) are considered major females, while the second is found with alate fema agrictural pests (Mariconi, 1970), but we still know les. -
Cytogenetic and Molecular Analyses Reveal a Divergence Between Acromyrmex Striatus (Roger, 1863) and Other Congeneric Species: Taxonomic Implications
Cytogenetic and Molecular Analyses Reveal a Divergence between Acromyrmex striatus (Roger, 1863) and Other Congeneric Species: Taxonomic Implications Maykon Passos Cristiano*, Danon Clemes Cardoso, Taˆnia Maria Fernandes-Saloma˜o Laborato´rio de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Vic¸osa – UFV, Vic¸osa, Minas Gerais, Brazil Abstract The leafcutter ants, which consist of Acromyrmex and Atta genera, are restricted to the New World and they are considered the main herbivores in the neotropics. Cytogenetic studies of leafcutter ants are available for five species of Atta and 14 species of Acromyrmex, both including subspecies. These two ant genera have a constant karyotype with a diploid number of 22 and 38 chromosomes, respectively. The most distinct Acromyrmex species from Brazil is A. striatus, which is restricted to the southern states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Several cytogenetic and phylogenetic studies have been conducted with ants, but the karyotypic characterization and phylogenetic position of this species relative to leafcutter ants remains unknown. In this study, we report a diploid number of 22 chromosomes for A. striatus. The phylogenetic relationship between A. striatus and other leafcutter ants was estimated based on the four nuclear genes. A. striatus shared the same chromosome number as Atta species and the majority of metacentric chromosomes. Nuclear data generated a phylogenetic tree with a well-supported cluster, where A. striatus formed a different clade from other Acromyrmex spp. This combination of cytogenetic and molecular approaches provided interesting insights into the phylogenetic position of A. striatus among the leafcutter ants and the tribe Attini. -
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Myrmecological News 20 Digital supplementary material Digital supplementary material to LANAN, M. 2014: Spatiotemporal resource distribution and foraging strategies of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). – Myrmecological News 20: 53-70. Tab. S1: Data and citations for information presented in Figure 3 and Figure S1. Note that no data in any column indi- cates a lack of reports in the literature. For instance, no data in the column for nesting strategy should not be interpreted as a positive report of strict monodomy, and ants may collect foods that have not been reported. Species Resource collected Foraging strategy Nesting strategy Acanthognathus rudis Small prey: collembola Solitary foraging (GRONENBERG & al. 1998) (GRONENBERG & al. 1998) Acromyrmex ambiguus Leaves (FOWLER 1985, Trunk trails, partially subterranean (FOWLER SAVERSCHEK & ROCES 2011) 1985) trails (SAVERSCHEK & ROCES 2011) Acromyrmex balzani Grass (LOPES & al. 2004) Recruitment, type = ? (LOPES & al. 2004) Polydomy (ICHINOSE Solitary foraging (PODEROSO & al. 2009) & al. 2006) Solitary foraging (FOWLER 1985) Acromyrmex coronatus Leaves (WETTERER 1995) Trunk trails (WETTERER 1995) Acromyrmex crassispinus Leaves (FOWLER 1985) Two to five trunk trails (FOWLER 1985) Acromyrmex disciger Leaves (FOWLER 1985) Trunk trails (FOWLER 1985) Acromyrmex fracticornis Grass (FOWLER & ROBINSON 1977) Solitary (FOWLER & ROBINSON 1977) Acromyrmex heyeri Grass (BOLLAZZI & ROCES 2011) Trunk trails (FOWLER 1985, BOLLAZZI & ROCES 2011) Acromyrmex hispidus fallax Leaves (FOWLER 1985) Trunk trails (FOWLER 1985) Acromyrmex laticeps Leaves (FOWLER 1985) Trunk trails (FOWLER 1985) Acromyrmex lobicornis Leaves (ELIZALDE & FARJI-BERNER Trunk trails (ELIZALDE & FARJI-BERNER 2012) 2012) Acromyrmex lundii Leaves (FOWLER 1988), mush- Trunk trails (FOWLER 1988) rooms (LECHNER & JOSENS 2012) Acromyrmex niger Leaves (SOUSA-SOUTO & al. 2005) Trunk trails (SOUSA-SOUTO & al. -
Nest Architecture in Polydomous Grass-Cutting Ants (Acromyrmex Balzani)
Journal of Natural History ISSN: 0022-2933 (Print) 1464-5262 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tnah20 Nest architecture in polydomous grass-cutting ants (Acromyrmex balzani) Nádia Caldato, Roberto da Silva Camargo, Luiz Carlos Forti, Ana Paula Protti de Andrade & Juliane Floriano Santos Lopes To cite this article: Nádia Caldato, Roberto da Silva Camargo, Luiz Carlos Forti, Ana Paula Protti de Andrade & Juliane Floriano Santos Lopes (2016) Nest architecture in polydomous grass-cutting ants (Acromyrmexbalzani), Journal of Natural History, 50:25-26, 1561-1581, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2016.1166529 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2016.1166529 Published online: 11 Apr 2016. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 80 View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tnah20 JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY, 2016 VOL. 50, NOS. 25–26, 1561–1581 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2016.1166529 Nest architecture in polydomous grass-cutting ants (Acromyrmex balzani) Nádia Caldatoa, Roberto da Silva Camargoa, Luiz Carlos Fortia, Ana Paula Protti de Andradea and Juliane Floriano Santos Lopesb aLaboratório de Insetos Sociais-Praga, Departamento de Produção Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas/UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil; bMirmecolab, Instituto de Ciências Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY Acromyrmex balzani is a grass-cutting ant species frequently found Received 21 September 2015 in Cerrado areas. However, little is known about the architecture of Accepted 9 March 2016 the polydomous nests of this ant. Fifteen A. -
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Research, Society and Development, v. 9, n. 9, e370997371, 2020 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i9.7371 Ecologia da nidificação de formigas cortadeiras em Campos Naturais de Altitude, sul do Brasil Ant nesting ecology of leaf-cutter ants in altitude natural fields, southern Brazil Ecología de anidación de las hormigas cortadoras de hojas en los campos naturales de altitud, sur de Brasil Recebido: 06/08/2020 | Revisado: 16/08/2020 | Aceito: 18/08/2020 | Publicado: 22/08/2020 Alexandre Giesel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9569-015X Federal University of Technology, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Pedro Boff ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9041-5503 Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company Lages, Brasil E-mail: [email protected] Mari Inês Carissimi Boff ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1700-8837 State University of Santa Catarina, Brasil E-mail: [email protected] Patricia Fernandes ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0981-5930 Federal University of Technology, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Resumo Este trabalho teve por objetivo estudar os aspectos ecológicos do processo de nidificação realizado por formigas cortadeiras dos gêneros Atta e Acromyrmex, na Microrregião de Campos de Lages, Brasil. Em cada município foram estabelecidos 4 locais de observação equidistantes, cada ponto representou um formigueiro, num total de 72 formigueiros. Todos os formigueiros de cortadeiras amostrados foram georreferenciados e medidos em relação a sua superfície. Coleta de amostras de solo foram realizadas em três pontos a 1,5 m de cada formigueiro, na profundidade de 10 a 20 cm. -
José Maria Cardoso Da Silva Inara R. Leal Marcelo Tabarelli Editors The
José Maria Cardoso da Silva Inara R. Leal Marcelo Tabarelli Editors Caatinga The Largest Tropical Dry Forest Region in South America Caatinga José Maria Cardoso da Silva Inara R. Leal • Marcelo Tabarelli Editors Caatinga The Largest Tropical Dry Forest Region in South America Editors José Maria Cardoso da Silva Inara R. Leal Department of Geography Department of Botânica University of Miami Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Miami, FL, USA Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil Marcelo Tabarelli Department of Botânica Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil ISBN 978-3-319-68338-6 ISBN 978-3-319-68339-3 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68339-3 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017962101 © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. -
Foraging Ecology of the Leaf-Cutter Ant, Acromyrmex Subterraneus
Environmental Entomology, 48(6), 2019, 1434–1441 doi: 10.1093/ee/nvz120 Advance Access Publication Date: 12 October 2019 Plant-Insect Interactions Research Foraging Ecology of the Leaf-Cutter Ant, Acromyrmex subterraneus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in a Neotropical Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ee/article-abstract/48/6/1434/5586686 by Universidade Estadual de Campinas user on 09 December 2019 Cerrado Savanna Ana C. Calheiros,1 Mariane U. V. Ronque,1, Hélio Soares Jr,2 and Paulo S. Oliveira3,4, 1Progama de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, C.P. 6109, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-862, Campinas SP, Brazil, 2Progama de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, C.P. 6109, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-862 Campinas SP, Brazil, 3Departamento de Biologia Animal, C.P. 6109, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083- 862 Campinas SP, Brazil, and 4Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Subject Editor: Melody Keena Received 12 April 2019; Editorial decision 13 September 2019 Abstract Fungus-farming ants cultivate a fungal symbiont inside the nest that serves as a food source. Leaf-cutter ants are distinctive among fungus-farmers because they forage for fresh plant material to nurture the fungus. Here we investigate the foraging ecology of Acromyrmex subterraneus (Forel) in the Brazilian cerrado savanna. We examined the species activity pattern, forage material collected, and the relationship between load mass and forager size. Ant activity peaked at night and was negatively related to temperature but positively related to relative air humidity. The majority of the items collected by ants was plant material: dry and fresh leaves, flowers, and fruits. -
Sociobiology 60(2): 162-168 (2013) DOI: 10.13102/Sociobiology.V60i2.162-168
Sociobiology 60(2): 162-168 (2013) DOI: 10.13102/sociobiology.v60i2.162-168 Sociobiology An international journal on social insects research Article - ANTS Spatial Distribution of Acromyrmex balzani (Emery) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini) Nests Using Two Sampling Methods L Sousa-Souto, AB Viana-Junior, ES Nascimento 1 - Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brasil Article History Abstract Edited by The spatial distribution (SD) of organisms is a key parameter in studies of population Gilberto M M Santos, UEFS, Brazil ecology. Among the methods to describe the SD of sessile organisms, sampling by way received 10 April 2013 of plots and transects are widely used. The measurement of the distance between Initial acceptance 17 May 2013 individuals (“nearest neighbor”) is a simple method that has not been employed in Final acceptance 22 May 2013 population studies with ants. This study aimed to evaluate the SD of ant mounds of Acromyrmex balzani (Emery, 1890), using both plot sampling and nearest neighbor Key words Population ecology, leaf-cutting ants, methods in order to evaluate which method is more appropriate for determining SD of 2 nest density, nearest neighbor this species. In January 2013 we established 359 plots of 10 m on a fragment of grass- land in Sergipe, Brazil. In the same study area 25 colonies were randomly selected and Corresponding author: the distance of the closest neighbor colony was determined. In total, 153 ant mounds Leandro Sousa-Souto were sampled (plots) and the density was estimated in 975 × colonies ha-1. Colonies Universidade Federal de Sergipe were clumped in the environment either by plot sampling (χ2 = 453.93; p < 0.05) as Programa de Pós-Grad. -
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Psyche Advances in Neotropical Myrmecology Guest Editors: Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie, Fernando Fernández, and Jonathan Majer Advances in Neotropical Myrmecology Psyche Advances in Neotropical Myrmecology Guest Editors: Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie, Fernando Fernandez,´ and Jonathan Majer Copyright © 2012 Hindawi Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. This is a special issue published in “Psyche.” All articles are open access articles distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Editorial Board Arthur G. Appel, USA John Heraty, USA Mary Rankin, USA Guy Bloch, Israel DavidG.James,USA David Roubik, USA D. Bruce Conn, USA Russell Jurenka, USA Coby Schal, USA G. B. Dunphy, Canada Bethia King, USA James Traniello, USA JayD.Evans,USA Ai-Ping Liang, China Martin H. Villet, South Africa Brian Forschler, USA Robert Matthews, USA William T. Wcislo, Panama Howard S. Ginsberg, USA Donald Mullins, USA DianaE.Wheeler,USA Abraham Hefetz, Israel Subba Reddy Palli, USA Contents Advances in Neotropical Myrmecology, Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie, Fernando Fernandez,´ and Jonathan Majer Volume 2012, Article ID 286273, 3 pages Tatuidris kapasi sp. nov.: A New Armadillo Ant from French Guiana (Formicidae: Agroecomyrmecinae), Sebastien´ Lacau, Sarah Groc, Alain Dejean, Muriel L. de Oliveira, and Jacques H. C. Delabie Volume 2012, Article ID 926089, 6 pages Ants as Indicators in Brazil: A Review with Suggestions