Ant-mimicking spider, Myrmarachne species (Araneae:Salticidae), distinguishes its model, the green ant, Oecophylla smaragdina, from a sympatric Batesian O. smaragdina mimic, Riptortus serripes (Hemiptera:Alydidae)

2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadia Sara Ceccarelli
Keyword(s):  
Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽  
Ant Nests ◽  
Initial Motion

In north Queensland, Australia, the alydid bug Riptortus serripes and the undescribed salticid spider Myrmarachne sp. F are co-occurring visual Batesian mimics of the green tree ant Oecophylla smaragdina. Myrmarachne sp. F lives near ant nests and avoids contact with aggressive worker ants, suggesting that, like other salticids, it can distinguish visually between prey, mates and rivals. An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that Myrmarachne sp. F can distinguish O. smaragdina from its visual mimic, R. serripes. Individual spiders were exposed to individuals of O. smaragdina, R. serripes or a control hemipteran and their interactions video-recorded. For each encounter, the animals’ initial motion and distance apart were recorded, and the spider’s response was categorised. These experiments revealed that Myrmarachne sp. F responded differently to the various species, ‘avoiding’ the ant more frequently than the bug. Further tests are needed to determine whether the spider’s differing reactions to the two species are due to visual or other cues.

Locating queen ant nests in the green ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

1998 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.K. Peng ◽  
K. Christian ◽  
K. Gibb
Keyword(s):  
Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽  
Ant Nests

Form and function in ant nests

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter R. R. Tschinkel
Keyword(s):  
Form And Function ◽  
Ant Nests ◽  
And Function

scholarly journals Chance or Necessity—The Fungi Co−Occurring with Formica polyctena Ants

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 204
Author(s):  
Igor Siedlecki ◽  
Michał Gorczak ◽  
Alicja Okrasińska ◽  
Marta Wrzosek
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Identification ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Its Rdna ◽  
The Other ◽  
Formica Polyctena ◽  
Ant Nests ◽  
Mutualistic Fungi ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
High Diversity ◽  
Better Than

Studies on carton nesting ants and domatia−dwelling ants have shown that ant–fungi interactions may be much more common and widespread than previously thought. Until now, studies focused predominantly on parasitic and mutualistic fungi–ant interactions occurring mostly in the tropics, neglecting less−obvious interactions involving the fungi common in ants’ surroundings in temperate climates. In our study, we characterized the mycobiota of the surroundings of Formica polyctena ants by identifying nearly 600 fungal colonies that were isolated externally from the bodies of F. polyctena workers. The ants were collected from mounds found in northern and central Poland. Isolated fungi were assigned to 20 genera via molecular identification (ITS rDNA barcoding). Among these, Penicillium strains were the most frequent, belonging to eight different taxonomic sections. Other common and widespread members of Eurotiales, such as Aspergillus spp., were isolated very rarely. In our study, we managed to characterize the genera of fungi commonly present on F. polyctena workers. Our results suggest that Penicillium, Trichoderma, Mucor, Schwanniomyces and Entomortierella are commonly present in F. polyctena surroundings. Additionally, the high diversity and high frequency of Penicillium colonies isolated from ants in this study suggest that representatives of this genus may be adapted to survive in ant nests environment better than the other fungal groups, or that they are preferentially sustained by the insects in nests.

scholarly journals Nutritional analysis, volatile composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of Australian green ants (Oecophylla smaragdina)

Future Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 100007
Author(s):  
Shanmugam Alagappan ◽  
Mridusmita Chaliha ◽  
Yasmina Sultanbawa ◽  
Steve Fuller ◽  
Louwrens  C. Hoffman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽  
Volatile Composition ◽  
Nutritional Analysis

scholarly journals Moving apart together: co-movement of a symbiont community and their ant host, and its importance for community assembly

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Parmentier ◽  
R. Claus ◽  
F. De Laender ◽  
D. Bonte
Keyword(s):  
Community Assembly ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Spatial Dynamics ◽  
Joint Movement ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Ant Nests ◽  
Mobile Species ◽  
Directional Movement ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Red Wood Ant

Abstract Background Species interactions may affect spatial dynamics when the movement of one species is determined by the presence of another one. The most direct species-dependence of dispersal is vectored, usually cross-kingdom, movement of immobile parasites, diseases or seeds by mobile animals. Joint movements of species should, however, not be vectored by definition, as even mobile species are predicted to move together when they are tightly connected in symbiont communities. Methods We studied concerted movements in a diverse and heterogeneous community of arthropods (myrmecophiles) associated with red wood ants. We questioned whether joint-movement strategies eventually determine and speed-up community succession. Results We recorded an astonishingly high number of obligate myrmecophiles outside red wood ant nests. They preferentially co-moved with the host ants as the highest densities were found in locations with the highest density of foraging red wood ants, such as along the network of ant trails. These observations suggest that myrmecophiles resort to the host to move away from the nest, and this to a much higher extent than hitherto anticipated. Interestingly, functional groups of symbionts displayed different dispersal kernels, with predatory myrmecophiles moving more frequently and further from the nest than detritivorous myrmecophiles. We discovered that myrmecophile diversity was lower in newly founded nests than in mature red wood ant nests. Most myrmecophiles, however, were able to colonize new nests fast suggesting that the heterogeneity in mobility does not affect community assembly. Conclusions We show that co-movement is not restricted to tight parasitic, or cross-kingdom interactions. Movement in social insect symbiont communities may be heterogeneous and functional group-dependent, but clearly affected by host movement. Ultimately, this co-movement leads to directional movement and allows a fast colonisation of new patches, but not in a predictable way. This study highlights the importance of spatial dynamics of local and regional networks in symbiont metacommunities, of which those of symbionts of social insects are prime examples.

Initial motion of a viscous vortex ring

1994 ◽  
Vol 446 (1928) ◽  
pp. 589-599 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Asymptotic Analysis ◽  
Vortex Ring ◽  
Kinematic Viscosity ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Initial Radius ◽  
Dimensionless Form ◽  
Ring Radius ◽  
Initial Motion ◽  
Matched Asymptotic Analysis

The behaviour of a viscous vortex ring is examined by a matched asymptotic analysis up to three orders. This study aims at investigating how much the location of maximum vorticity deviates from the centroid of the vortex ring, defined by P. G. Saffman (1970). All the results are presented in dimensionless form, as indicated in the following context. Let Γ be the initial circulation of the vortex ring, and R denote the ring radius normalized by its initial radius R i . For the asymptotic analysis, a small parameter ∊ = ( t / Re ) ½ is introduced, where t denotes time normalized by R 2 i / Γ , and Re = Γ/v is the Reynolds number defined with Γ and the kinematic viscosity v . Our analysis shows that the trajectory of maximum vorticity moves with the velocity (normalized by Γ/R i ) U m = – 1/4π R {ln 4 R /∊ + H m } + O (∊ ln ∊), where H m = H m ( Re, t ) depends on the Reynolds number Re and may change slightly with time t for the initial motion. For the centroid of the vortex ring, we obtain the velocity U c by merely replacing H m by H c , which is a constant –0.558 for all values of the Reynolds number. Only in the limit of Re → ∞, the values of H m and H c are found to coincide with each other, while the deviation of H m from the constant H c is getting significant with decreasing the Reynolds number. Also of interest is that the radial motion is shown to exist for the trajectory of maximum vorticity at finite Reynolds numbers. Furthermore, the present analysis clarifies the earlier discrepancy between Saffman’s result and that obtained by C. Tung and L. Ting (1967).

scholarly journals MyrmicaAnts and Their Butterfly Parasites with Special Focus on the Acoustic Communication

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Barbero ◽  
D. Patricelli ◽  
M. Witek ◽  
E. Balletto ◽  
L. P. Casacci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Emission ◽  
Acoustic Communication ◽  
Food Plant ◽  
Chemical Mimicry ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Social Parasites ◽  
Ant Nests ◽  
Arthropod Species

About 10,000 arthropod species live as ants' social parasites and have evolved a number of mechanisms allowing them to penetrate and survive inside the ant nests.Myrmicacolonies, in particular, are exploited by numerous social parasites, and the presence of their overwintering brood, as well as of their polygyny, contributes to make them more vulnerable to infestation. Butterflies of the genusMaculineaare among the most investigatedMyrmicainquilines. These lycaenids are known for their very complex biological cycles.Maculineaspecies are obligated parasites that depend on a particular food plant and on a specificMyrmicaspecies for their survival.Maculinealarvae are adopted byMyrmicaants, which are induced to take them into their nests by chemical mimicry. Then the parasite spends the following 11–23 months inside the ants' nest. Mimicking the acoustic emission of the queen ants,Maculineaparasites not only manage to become integrated, but attain highest rank within the colony. Here we review the biology ofMaculinea/Myrmicasystem with a special focus on some recent breakthrough concerning their acoustical patterns.

scholarly journals Polymorphism and division of labour in a socially complex ant: neuromodulation of aggression in the Australian weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1811) ◽  
pp. 20150704 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Frances Kamhi ◽  
Kelley Nunn ◽  
Simon K. A. Robson ◽  
James F. A. Traniello
Keyword(s):  
Social Systems ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽  
Minor Worker ◽  
Task Specialization ◽  
Territorial Defence ◽  
Weaver Ant ◽  
Eusocial Insects ◽  
Worker Size ◽  
Pharmacological Manipulations

Complex social structure in eusocial insects can involve worker morphological and behavioural differentiation. Neuroanatomical variation may underscore worker division of labour, but the regulatory mechanisms of size-based task specialization in polymorphic species are unknown. The Australian weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina , exhibits worker polyphenism: larger major workers aggressively defend arboreal territories, whereas smaller minors nurse brood. Here, we demonstrate that octopamine (OA) modulates worker size-related aggression in O. smaragdina . We found that the brains of majors had significantly higher titres of OA than those of minors and that OA was positively and specifically correlated with the frequency of aggressive responses to non-nestmates, a key component of territorial defence. Pharmacological manipulations that effectively switched OA action in major and minor worker brains reversed levels of aggression characteristic of each worker size class. Results suggest that altering OA action is sufficient to produce differences in aggression characteristic of size-related social roles. Neuromodulators therefore may generate variation in responsiveness to task-related stimuli associated with worker size differentiation and collateral behavioural specializations, a significant component of division of labour in complex social systems.

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