Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Alternative Title

Composición de las subcastas en las respuestas a los feromonas de alarma y no alarma en los senderos de forrajeo de la hormiga zompopa Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Creator

Michael Marquis

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Publication Date

November 2010

Abstract

The response of the leaf-cutting ant Atta cephalotes to its alarm pheromones from crushed heads were compared to its response to crushed bodies without heads in order to examine the relative subcaste (minor and forager) composition of the responding individuals. The percentage of minor workers responding to the body parts near the foraging trail were recorded and compared with the experimentally determined percentage of minors in the trail traffic. The average percentage of minors in the ants responding to the two treatments (Heads: 44.9±0.72%, Bodies: 38.8±0.77%, N = 1300) both differed (p = .0007, p = .0113, df = 1) from the baseline trail composition (22.3±0.51%, N = 405), but did not differ from each other (p = .382, df = 1). There was a difference in the strength of the reaction over time between the heads and bodies for both minors (p < .0001) and foragers (p = .004), suggesting a difference in stability between the pheromone types. The unexpectedly strong reaction by minors to crushed bodies calls into question the validity of previous conclusions regarding the role of minor workers in foraging trails, especially considering the proportional equality of minor reactions to alarm and non-alarm pheromone sources.

Resumen

La respuesta de las zompopas Atta cephalotes hacia sus feromonas de alarma obtenidas de las cabezas maceradas se comparó con la respuesta a los cuerpos macerados en orden de conocer la respuesta relativa de la sub-casta (mínima y forrajeador). El porcentaje de mínimas que respondieron a las partes corporales cercanas al sendero de forrajeo se compararon con los porcentajes experimentalmente determinados de mínimas en el sendero transitado. El promedio de mínimas en respuesta a los dos tratamientos (Cabezas: 44.9±0.72%, Cuerpos: 38.8±0.77%, N = 1300) son diferentes (p= .0007, p= .0113, df= 1) de la línea de base de la composición del sendero (22.3±0.51%, N = 405), pero no difiere una de la otra (p = .382, df = 1). Existe una diferencia en la fuerza de la reacción entre la cabeza y el cuerpo entre mínimas (p < .0001) y forrajeadoras (p = .004), sugiriendo una diferencia en la estabilidad entre los tipos de feromonas. La reacción inesperadamente fuerte por parte de las mínimas pone en duda la validez de las conclusiones anteriores sobre el papel de los cuerpos macerados en los senderos de forrajeo, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta la igualdad proporcional de las reacciones de menor importancia para las fuentes de feromonas de alarma y no alarma.

Keywords

Ants--Behavior, Pheromones, Tropical Ecology Fall 2010, Reports

Palabras claves

Hormigas--Comportamiento, Feromonas, Ecología Tropical Otoño 2010,

Extent

11 pages

Geographic Location

San Luis (Puntarenas, Costa Rica)

Language

English; Spanish

Media Type

Articles

Format

Digital Only

Identifier

M39-00279

Type

Book

Subcaste composition in responses to alarm and non-alarm pheromones on foraging trails of leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), November 2010

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