Chemical and behavioural studies of the trail-following pheromone in the leaf-cutting ant Atta opaciceps, Borgmeier (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

2016 ◽  
Vol 86 ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rousseau da Silva Campos ◽  
Adriana de Lima Mendonça ◽  
Cyro Rêgo Cabral ◽  
Lucie Vaníčková ◽  
Ruth Rufino Do Nascimento
2007 ◽  
Vol 53 (12) ◽  
pp. 1233-1241 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.J. Kleineidam ◽  
W. Rössler ◽  
B. Hölldobler ◽  
F. Roces

Sociobiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 514
Author(s):  
Luiz Carlos Forti ◽  
Jael Santos Rando ◽  
Roberto Da Silva Camargo ◽  
Aldenise Alves Moreira ◽  
Maria Aparecida Castellani ◽  
...  

Leaf-cutting ants are widely distributed in Brazil, particularly species of the genus Atta. We therefore described the occurrence of leaf-cutting and grass-cutting ant species of the genus Atta. Five routes comprising some of the main highways in the South, Southeast, Center-West, and North of Brazil were sampled, in addition to ants received from other 82 municipalities, composing 300 municipalities sampled. This is the first comprehensive study of Atta in Brazil. The following species were found: A. laevigata, A. capiguara, A. sexdens rubropilosa, A. sexdens piriventris, A. sexdens sexdens and A. cephalotes. Atta laevigata and A. capiguara were the species present in the largest number of the Brazilian municipalities sampled. Atta laevigata assumed the position of species of greatest occurrence in the Brazilian territory. Atta sexdens piriventris was only recorded in the southern region of Brazil. Atta bisphaerica presented lower expansion than A. capiguara. Atta cephalotes and Atta opaciceps are species of very restricted occurrence. Southeastern region was characterized by the occurrence of A. capiguara and A. laevigata. Atta laevigata exhibited a generalized pattern of occurrence in the Center-West and North. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the so far unknown occurrence of leaf-cutting and grass-cutting ants within Brazil.


Planta Medica ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
EA Silva-Junior ◽  
CR Paludo ◽  
FS Nascimento ◽  
CR Currie ◽  
J Clardy ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 159 (3) ◽  
pp. 283
Author(s):  
Burd ◽  
Archer ◽  
Aranwela ◽  
Stradling

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunshine A. Van Bael ◽  
Catalina Estrada ◽  
William T. Wcislo

Many organisms participate in symbiotic relationships with other organisms, yet studies of symbioses typically have focused on the reciprocal costs and benefits within a particular host-symbiont pair. Recent studies indicate that many ecological interactions involve alliances of symbionts acting together as mutualistic consortia against other consortia. Such interacting consortia are likely to be widespread in nature, even if the interactions often occur in a cryptic fashion. Little theory and empirical data exist concerning how these complex interactions shape ecological outcomes in nature. Here, we review recent work on fungal-fungal interactions between two consortia: (i) leaf-cutting ants and their symbiotic fungi (the latter grown as a food crop by the former) and (ii) tropical plants and their foliar endophytes (the cryptic symbiotic fungi within leaves of the former). Plant characteristics (e.g., secondary compounds or leaf physical properties of leaves) are involved in leaf-cutting ant preferences, and a synthesis of published information suggests that these plant traits could be modified by fungal presence. We discuss potential mechanisms for how fungal-fungal interactions proceed in the leaf-cutting ant agriculture and suggest themes for future research.


1979 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mudd ◽  
G. L. Bateman

AbstractGrowth of the food fungus of the leaf-cutting ant Atta cephalotes (L.) on extracts of plants selected by the ants was shown to be affected by the plant species, the pH of the extract, the concentration of the sap or plant extract and pretreatment of the substrate by the ants. It was not possible to establish an unambiguous relationship between the rate of growth of the fungus on leaf extracts and the foraging preferences of the ants for the leaves. There were indications, however, that the fungus grows most rapidly on extracts of plant material preferred by A. cephalotes. Relative growth rates of the fungus on different substrates may be related to the presence of growth inhibitors rather than to nutrient availability.


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