Riding with the Ants
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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 -
Ochraceus and Beauveria Bassiana
Hindawi Publishing Corporation Psyche Volume 2012, Article ID 389806, 6 pages doi:10.1155/2012/389806 Research Article Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassiana Myriam M. R. Ribeiro,1 Karina D. Amaral,1 Vanessa E. Seide,1 Bressane M. R. Souza,1 Terezinha M. C. Della Lucia,1 Maria Catarina M. Kasuya,2 and Danival J. de Souza3 1 Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Vic¸osa, 36570-000 Vic¸osa, MG, Brazil 2 Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Vic¸osa, 36570-000 Vic¸osa, MG, Brazil 3 Curso de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal do Tocantins, 77402-970 Gurupi, TO, Brazil Correspondence should be addressed to Danival J. de Souza, [email protected] Received 10 August 2011; Revised 15 October 2011; Accepted 24 October 2011 Academic Editor: Alain Lenoir Copyright © 2012 Myriam M. R. Ribeiro et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The grass-cutting ant Atta bisphaerica is one of the most serious pests in several pastures and crops in Brazil. Fungal diseases are a constant threat to these large societies composed of millions of closely related individuals. We investigated the occurrence of filamentous fungi associated with the ant A. bisphaerica in a pasture area of Vic¸osa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Several fungi species were isolated from forager ants, and two of them, known as entomopathogenic, Beauveria bassiana and Aspergillus ochraceus,were tested against worker ants in the laboratory. -
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. -
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. -
Instituto Tecnológico De Costa Rica
INSTITUTO TECNOLÓGICO DE COSTA RICA ESCUELA DE BIOLOGÍA INGENIERÍA EN BIOTECNOLOGÍA UNIVERSIDAD DE COSTA RICA Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM) Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMic) Grupo Integrado Simbiosis – Hospedero – Microorganismo (GISHM, UCR) Evaluación de la actividad entomopatógena de diversos aislamientos de hongos y cepas de Bacillus thuringiensis para el potencial desarrollo de un bioformulado contra las hormigas cortadoras de hojas de la especie Atta cephalotes Informe presentado a la Escuela de Biología del Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica como requisito parcial para optar por el título de Licenciado en Ingeniería en Biotecnología Esteve Mesén Porras Cartago, Setiembre de 2015 Evaluación de la actividad entomopatógena de diversos aislamientos de hongos y cepas de Bacillus thuringiensis para el potencial desarrollo de un bioformulado contra las hormigas cortadoras de hojas de la especie Atta cephalotes Esteve Mesén Porras1 RESUMEN Las hormigas cortadoras de hojas (Atta y Acromyrmex) son una de las plagas más relevantes del Neotrópico debido a su compleja organización jerárquica en castas, la forma de vida claustral, el comportamiento eusocial para cuidar larvas y proteger su hongo simbionte, y la capacidad de forrajeo diurno y nocturno. Debido a estos aspectos y a su habilidad para reconocer y remover patículas dañinas de su jardín fúngico, el control con agroquímicos ha sido una tarea difícil. Por ello, el objetivo de este proyecto fue reconocer si aislamientos de Bacillus thuringiensis y hongos recuperados de colonias de zompopas podrían ser agentes de biocontrol de obreras de Atta cephalotes. El bioensayo de ingestión con Bt permitió reconocer 3 aislamientos que produjeron mortalidades de 45 a 54%, concentraciones subletales entre 9,97×101 y 5,86×107 µg mL-1 y tiempos de muerte de 5 y 6 días; valores que coincidieron con los reportes de algunos autores que han investigado la entomotoxidad de δ-endotoxinas sobre himenópteros. -
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]. -
Isoenzymatic Polymorphism in the Leaf-Cutting Ant Atta Capiguara Gonçalves (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
46 January - February 2010 SYSTEMATICS, MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY Isoenzymatic Polymorphism in the Leaf-Cutting Ant Atta capiguara Gonçalves (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) LIRIANA B CANTAGA ll I , CL AUDETE A MANGO L IN , MARIA C C RUVO L O -TAKASUSUKI Depto de Biologia Celular e Genética, Univ Estadual de Maringá, Avenida Colombo, 5790, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brasil; [email protected] Edited by Roberto A Zucchi – ESALQ/USP Neotropical Entomology 39(1):046-049 (2010) ABSTRACT - This study was carried out to analyze the genetic population structure of Atta capiguara from 12 nests collected in Tapejara in the state of Paraná, Brazil, using isoenzyme polymorphisms. The analyzed isoenzymes were esterases (EST – EC 3.1.1.1), acid phosphatase (ACP – EC 3.1.3.2) and carbonic anhydrase (CA – EC 4.2.1.1). Ten loci were found in A. capiguara and four polymorphic loci were detected. The observed heterozigosity (0.0296) was low when compared to the expected heterozigosity (0.1461). The high value of FIS (0.7954) shows an excess of homozygous genotypes probably caused by inbreeding. KEY WORDS: Isoenzyme, genetic variability, population genetics Leaf-cutting ants are widely distributed from southern Material and Methods United States to central Argentina, causing heavy damage in agriculture and attacking a wide range of vegetables, Ant samples. Workers from twelve nests of leaf-cutting ornamental plants, cultivated and reforested trees and ants A. capiguara were collected in Tapejara (23º 43’ 59” pastures. The two genera (Atta and Acromyrmex) of leaf- S; 52º 52’ 24” W) in the northwestern region of the state cutting ants found in Brazil are very diverse in species of Paraná, Brazil. -
DISTRIBUTION and FORAGING by the LEAF-CUTTING ANT, Atta
DISTRIBUTION AND FORAGING BY THE LEAF-CUTTING ANT, Atta cephalotes L., IN COFFEE PLANTATIONS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF MANAGEMENT AND LANDSCAPE CONTEXTS, AND ALTERNATIVES TO INSECTICIDES FOR ITS CONTROL A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy with a Major in Entomology in the College of Graduate Studies University of Idaho and with an Emphasis in Tropical Agriculture In the Graduate School Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza by Edgar Herney Varón Devia June 2006 Major Professor: Sanford D. Eigenbrode, Ph.D. iii ABSTRACT Atta cephalotes L., the predominant leaf-cutting ant species found in coffee farms in the Turrialba region of Costa Rica, is considered a pest of the crop because it removes coffee foliage. I applied agroecosystem and landscape level perspectives to study A. cephalotes foraging, colony distribution and dynamics in coffee agroecosystems in the Turrialba region. I also conducted field assays to assess effects of control methods on colonies of different sizes and to examine the efficacy of alternatives to insecticides. Colony density (number of colonies/ha) and foraging of A. cephalotes were studied in different coffee agroecosystems, ranging from monoculture to highly diversified systems, and with either conventional or organic inputs. A. cephalotes colony density was higher in monocultures compared to more diversified coffee systems. The percentage of shade within the farm was directly related to A. cephalotes colony density. The proportion of coffee plant tissue being collected by A. cephalotes was highest in monocultures and lowest in farms with complex shade (more than three shade tree species present). -
Longitudinal Study of Foraging Networks in the Grass-Cutting Ant Atta Capiguara Gonçalves, 1944 N
Longitudinal Study of Foraging Networks in the Grass-Cutting Ant Atta capiguara Gonçalves, 1944 N. Caldato, R. Camargo, K. Sousa, L. Forti, J. Lopes, Vincent Fourcassié To cite this version: N. Caldato, R. Camargo, K. Sousa, L. Forti, J. Lopes, et al.. Longitudinal Study of Foraging Net- works in the Grass-Cutting Ant Atta capiguara Gonçalves, 1944. Neotropical entomology, Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil, 2020, 49 (5), pp.643-651. 10.1007/s13744-020-00776-9. hal-03097185 HAL Id: hal-03097185 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03097185 Submitted on 6 Jan 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. 1 Title: Longitudinal study of foraging networks in the grass-cutting ant Atta capiguara Gonçalves, 2 1944 3 4 N Caldato1, R Camargo1, KK Sousa1, LC Forti1, JF Lopes2, V Fourcassié3* 5 6 1 Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil 7 2 Universidade Federal Juiz de Fora, Brazil 8 3 Université de Toulouse, CNRS, France 9 10 *Corresponding author : Vincent Fourcassié 11 Email: [email protected] 12 Tel: +33 (0)5 61 55 88 71 13 ORCID number: 0000-0002-3605-6351 14 15 Running title: Foraging networks of the ant Atta capiguara 16 1 17 Abstract 18 Colonies of leaf-cutting ants of the genus Atta need to collect large quantities of vegetal substrate 19 in their environment to ensure their growth. -
The Coexistence
Myrmecological News 13 37-55 2009, Online Earlier Natural history and phylogeny of the fungus-farming ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) Natasha J. MEHDIABADI & Ted R. SCHULTZ Abstract Ants of the tribe Attini comprise a monophyletic group of approximately 230 described and many more undescribed species that obligately depend on the cultivation of fungus for food. In return, the ants nourish, protect, and disperse their fungal cultivars. Although all members of this tribe cultivate fungi, attine ants are surprisingly heterogeneous with regard to symbiont associations and agricultural system, colony size and social structure, nesting behavior, and mating system. This variation is a key reason that the Attini have become a model system for understanding the evolution of complex symbioses. Here, we review the natural-history traits of fungus-growing ants in the context of a recently published phylo- geny, collating patterns of evolution and symbiotic coadaptation in a variety of colony and fungus-gardening traits in a number of major lineages. We discuss the implications of these patterns and suggest future research directions. Key words: Hymenoptera, Formicidae, fungus-growing ants, leafcutter ants, colony life, natural history, evolution, mating, agriculture, review. Myrmecol. News 13: 37-55 (online xxx 2008) ISSN 1994-4136 (print), ISSN 1997-3500 (online) Received 12 June 2009; revision received 24 September 2009; accepted 28 September 2009 Dr. Natasha J. Mehdiabadi* (contact author) & Dr. Ted R. Schultz* (contact author), Department of Entomology and Laboratories of Analytical Biology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, NHB, CE518, MRC 188, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] * Both authors contributed equally to the work. -
Dynamics of the Restoration of Physical Trails in the Grass-Cutting Ant Atta Capiguara (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)
Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 60 (2016) 63–67 REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE Entomologia A Journal on Insect Diversity and Evolution w ww.rbentomologia.com Biology, Ecology and Diversity Dynamics of the restoration of physical trails in the grass-cutting ant Atta capiguara (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) a a a,∗ b Nadia Caldato , Luiz Carlos Forti , Roberto da Silva Camargo , Juliane Floriano Santos Lopes , c,d Vincent Fourcassié a Laboratório de Insetos Sociais-Praga, Departamento de Produc¸ ão Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil b MirmecoLab, Programa de Pós-graduac¸ ão em Ciências Biológicas, Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil c Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, UPS Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Toulouse, France d CNRS, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Toulouse, France a r a b s t r a c t t i c l e i n f o Article history: Dynamics of the restoration of physical trails in the grass-cutting ant Atta capiguara. Leaf-cutting ants of Received 23 August 2015 the genus Atta build long physical trails by cutting the vegetation growing on the soil surface and removing Accepted 15 October 2015 the small objects they find across their path. Little is known on the dynamics of trail construction in Available online 6 November 2015 these ants. How much time do they need to build a trail? To answer this question we selected six trails Associate Editor: Rodrigo M. Feitosa belonging to two different nests of A. capiguara and removed on each trail a block of soil of 20 cm × 15 cm that included a portion of the physical trail. -
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.