Minor workers have a major role in the maintenance of leafcutter ant pheromone trails

Animal Behaviour

Volumn 75, Issue 3, 2008, Pages 963-969

  Evison, Sophie E F ^a   Hart, Adam G ^b   Jackson, Duncan E ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD   (United Kingdom)

^b UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

ant foraging; Atta; division of labour; leafcutter; pheromone trail; specialist

Indexed keywords

ANT; COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOR; CONNECTIVITY; HYPOTHESIS TESTING; LABOR DIVISION; PHEROMONE; SPECIALIST; WORKER CASTE;

ATTA; FORMICIDAE;

EID: 39449113077     PISSN: 00033472     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.07.013     Document Type: Article

References (32)

1. Beauchamp G. Vigilance in a selfish herd. Animal Behaviour 73 (2007) 445-451
2. Bekoff M. Vigilance, flock size, and flock geometry: information gathering by western evening grosbeaks (Aves, Fringillidae). Ethology 99 (1995) 150-161
3. Cherrett M. The foraging behaviour of Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): foraging pattern and plant species attacked in tropical rain forest. Journal of Animal Ecology 37 (1968) 387-403
4. Feener D.H., and Brown B.V. Oviposition behavior of an ant-parasitizing fly, Neodohrniphora curvinervis (Diptera: Phoridae), and defense behavior by its leaf-cutting ant host Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 6 (1993) 675-688
5. Feener D.H., and Moss K.A.G. Defense against parasites by hitchhikers in leaf-cutting ants: a quantitative assessment. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 26 (1990) 17-29
6. Fittkau E.J., and Klinge H. On biomass and trophic structure of the central Amazonian rain forest ecosystem. Biotropica 5 (1973) 2-14
7. Giraldeau L., and Caraco T. Social Foraging Theory (2000), Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersy
8. Hamilton W.D. Geometry for the selfish herd. Journal of Theoretical Biology 31 (1971) 295-311
9. Hangartner W. Structure and variability of the individual odor trail in Solenopsis geminata. Zeitschrift fur Vergleichende Physiologie 62 (1969) 111-120
10. Hart A.G., and Jackson D.E. U-turns on ant pheromone trails. Current Biology 16 (2006) R42-R43
11. Hassell M.P., and Southwood T.R.E. Foraging strategies of insects. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 9 (1978) 75-98
12. Hölldobler B., and Wilson E.O. The Ants (1990), Belknap Press of Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
13. Hughes W.O.H., and Goulson D. Polyethism and the importance of context in the alarm reaction of the grass-cutting ant Atta capiguara. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 49 (2001) 503-508
14. Jackson D.E., Holcombe M., and Ratnieks F. Trail geometry gives polarity to ant foraging networks. Nature 432 (2004) 907-909
15. Johnson L.K., and Hubbell S.P. Contrasting foraging strategies and co-existence of two bee species on a single resource. Ecology 56 (1975) 1398-1406
16. Krause J., and Godin J.J. Influence of prey foraging posture on flight behaviour and predation risk: predators take advantage of unwary prey. Behavioral Ecology 7 (1996) 264-271
17. Lugo A.E., Farnworth E.G., Pool D., Jerez P., and Kaufman G. The impact of the leaf cutter ant Atta colombica on the energy flow of a tropical wet forest. Ecology 54 (1973) 1292-1301
18. Maynard Smith J. Game theory and the evolution of behaviour. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 7 (1984) 95-125
19. Morgan E.D., Keegans S.J., Tits J., Wenseleers T., and Billen J. Preferences and differences in the trail pheromone of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens. European Journal of Entomology 103 (2006) 553-558
20. Morton T.L., Haefner J.W., Nugala V., Decino R.D., and Mendes L. The selfish herd revisited: do simple movement rules reduce relative predation risk?. Journal of Theoretical Biology 167 (1994) 73-79
21. Murton R.K. Why do some bird species feed in flocks?. Ibis 113 (1971) 534-536
22. Orr M.R. Parasitic flies (Diptera: Phoridae) influence foraging rhythms and caste division of labor in the leaf-cutter ant, Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 30 (1992) 395-402
23. Oster G.F., and Wilson E.O. Caste and Ecology in the Social Insects (1978), Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersy
24. Rao M. Variation in leaf-cutter ant (Atta sp.) densities in forest isolates: the potential role of predation. Journal of Tropical Ecology 16 (2000) 209-225
25. Reluga T.C., and Viscido S. Simulated evolution of selfish herd behaviour. Journal of Theoretical Biology 234 (2005) 213-225
26. Sadedin S.R., and Elgar M.A. The influence of flock size and geometry on the scanning behaviour of spotted turtle doves, Streptopelia chinensis. Australian Journal of Ecology 23 (1998) 177-180
27. Stradling D.J. The influence of size on foraging in the ant, Atta cephalotes, and the effect of some plant defence mechanisms. Journal of Animal Ecology 47 (1978) 173-188
28. Traniello J.F.A. Foraging strategies of ants. Annual Review of Entomology 34 (1989) 191-210
29. Wilson E.O. Caste and division of labour in leaf-cutting ants I (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Atta). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 7 (1980) 143-156
30. Wilson E.O. Causes of ecological success: the case of the ants. Journal of Animal Ecology 56 (1987) 1-9
31. Wilson E.O., and Hölldobler B. Caste-specific techniques of defense in the polymorphic ant Pheidole embolopyx. Insectes Sociaux 32 (1985) 3-22
32. Wood A.J., and Ackland G.J. Evolving the selfish herd: emergence of distinct aggregating strategies in an individual-based model. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 274 (2007) 1637-1642