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Predatory behavior and chemical communication in two Metapone species (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) |
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| Authors: | Bert Hölldobler Neil J. Oldham Gary D. Alpert Jürgen Liebig |
| Affiliation: | Lehrstuhl Verhaltensphysiologie und Soziobiologie (Zoologie II), Biozentrum, Universit?t Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany, DE Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische ?kologie, Carl-Zeiss-Promenade 10, D-07745 Jena, Germany, DE Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Mass 02138, USA, US |
| Abstract: | Summary. Colonies of two species of Metapone (M. madagascarica, M. new species.) were collected in Madagascar and established in laboratory nests. It could be demonstrated that both species are specialist predators of termites (Cryptotermes kirbyi). During hunting the ants sting the termites and thereby paralyze and preserve the prey alive. In this way prey can be stored in the ant nest for extended periods. During foraging and colony emigrations the ants lay chemical trails with poison gland secretions. Among the seven compounds identified in the venom only methyl pyrrole-2-carboxylate elicits trail following behavior in both Metapone species. Received 11 February 2002, accepted 23 February 2002. |
| Keywords: | . Termite predation — prey storage — poison gland — trail pheromone — pyrrole derivative |
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