How Do Leaf-Cutting Ants Recognize Antagonistic Microbes in Their Fungal Crops?
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2020 Leaf-cutting ants employ diverse behavioral strategies for promoting the growth of fungal cultivars in a structure known as fungus garden. As a nutritionally rich resource for the ants, the fungal crop is threatened by microbial antagonists and pathogens.
Aryel C. Goes +5 more
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Sociobiology, 2020 Leaf-cutting ants are widely distributed in Brazil, particularly species of the genus Atta. We therefore described the occurrence of leaf-cutting and grass-cutting ant species of the genus Atta.
Luiz Carlos Forti +7 more
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Diversity and Transmission of Gut Bacteria in <i>Atta</i> and <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants during Development. [PDF]
Front Microbiol, 2017 The social Hymenoptera have distinct larval and adult stages separated by metamorphosis, which implies striking remodeling of external and internal body structures during the pupal stage.
Zhukova M +3 more
europepmc +2 more sources
Interaction specificity between leaf-cutting ants and vertically transmitted Pseudonocardia bacteria. [PDF]
BMC Evol Biol, 2015 BACKGROUND : The obligate mutualism between fungus-growing ants and microbial symbionts offers excellent opportunities to study the specificity and stability of multi-species interactions.
Andersen SB +3 more
europepmc +7 more sources
Cryptic Diversity in Colombian Edible Leaf-Cutting Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) [PDF]
Insects, 2018 Leaf-cutting ants are often considered agricultural pests, but they can also benefit local people and serve important roles in ecosystems. Throughout their distribution, winged reproductive queens of leaf-cutting ants in the genus Atta Fabricius, 1804 ...
Pepijn W. Kooij +4 more
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A Visual Guide for Studying Behavioral Defenses to Pathogen Attacks in Leaf-Cutting Ants. [PDF]
J Vis Exp, 2018 The complex lifestyle, evolutionary history of advanced cooperation, and disease defenses of leaf-cutting ants are well studied. Although numerous studies have described the behaviors connected with disease defense, and the associated use of chemicals ...
Nilsson-Møller S +2 more
europepmc +2 more sources
Contact rate modulates foraging efficiency in leaf cutting ants. [PDF]
Sci Rep, 2015 AbstractLane segregation is rarely observed in animals that move in bidirectional flows. Consequently, these animals generally experience a high rate of head-on collisions during their journeys. Although these collisions have a cost (each collision induces a delay resulting in a decrease of individual speed), they could also have a benefit by promoting
Bouchebti S +5 more
europepmc +5 more sources
Avoidance of plants unsuitable for the symbiotic fungus in leaf-cutting ants: Learning can take place entirely at the colony dump. [PDF]
PLoS One, 2017 Plants initially accepted by foraging leaf-cutting ants are later avoided if they prove unsuitable for their symbiotic fungus. Plant avoidance is mediated by the waste produced in the fungus garden soon after the incorporation of the unsuitable leaves ...
Arenas A, Roces F.
europepmc +2 more sources
Essential Oil of Aristolochia trilobata: Synthesis, Routes of Exposure, Acute Toxicity, Binary Mixtures and Behavioral Effects on Leaf-Cutting Ants. [PDF]
Molecules, 2017 Plants of the genus Aristolochia have been frequently reported as important medicinal plants. Despite their high bioactive potential, to date, there are no reports of their effects on leaf-cutting ants.
de Oliveira BM +9 more
europepmc +2 more sources
Spatio-temporal permanence and plasticity of foraging trails in young and mature leaf-cutting ant colonies (Atta spp.) [PDF]
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2005 The distribution and formation of foraging trails have largely been neglected as factors explaining harvesting patterns of leaf-cutting ants.We applied fractal analysis, circular, and conventional statistics to published and newly recorded trailmaps of ...
Amthor, A. M. +22 more
core +8 more sources