Nest Digging by Leaf-Cutting Ants : Effect of Group Size and Functional Structures
Joint Authors
Camargo, Roberto da Silva
Forti, Luiz Carlos
Fujihara, Ricardo Toshio
Source
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-4, 4 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2011-07-12
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
4
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
Leaf-cutting ant workers dig underground chambers, for housing their symbiotic fungus, interconnected by a vast quantity of tunnels whose function is to permit the entrance of food (leaves), gaseous exchanges, and movement of workers, offspring, and the queen.
Digging is a task executed by a group of workers, but little is known about the group effect and group-constructed functional structures.
Thus, we analyzed the structures formed by worker groups (5, 10, 20, and 40 individuals) of the leaf-cutting ant, Atta sexdens rubropilosa, for 2 days of excavation.
The digging arena was the same for the 4 groups, with each group corresponding to a different density.
Our results verified a pattern of tunneling by the workers, but no chamber was constructed.
The group effect is well known, since the 40-worker group dug significantly more than the groups of 5, 10, and 20.
These groups did not differ statistically from each other.
Analysis of load/worker verified that workers of the smallest group carried the greatest load.
Our paper demonstrates the group effect on the digging of nests, namely, that excavation is proportional to group size, but without emergence of a functional structure such as a chamber.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Camargo, Roberto da Silva& Fujihara, Ricardo Toshio& Forti, Luiz Carlos. 2011. Nest Digging by Leaf-Cutting Ants : Effect of Group Size and Functional Structures. Psyche،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-4.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-471303
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Camargo, Roberto da Silva…[et al.]. Nest Digging by Leaf-Cutting Ants : Effect of Group Size and Functional Structures. Psyche No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-4.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-471303
American Medical Association (AMA)
Camargo, Roberto da Silva& Fujihara, Ricardo Toshio& Forti, Luiz Carlos. Nest Digging by Leaf-Cutting Ants : Effect of Group Size and Functional Structures. Psyche. 2011. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-4.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-471303
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-471303