Host Specificity in Raiding Behavior of the Slave-Making Ant Polyergus Lucidus
In the pine barrens of Suffolk County, New York, at least three species of Formica (subgenus Neoformica) are used as slaves by the obligatory slave-making ant Polyergus lucidus. In any single nest, however, only one slave species may be found. This contrasts with the sympatric, facultative slave-mak...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
1987-01-01
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| Series: | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1987/47105 |
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| author | Linda Goodloe Raymond Sanwald Howard Topoff |
| author_facet | Linda Goodloe Raymond Sanwald Howard Topoff |
| author_sort | Linda Goodloe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the pine barrens of Suffolk County, New York, at least three
species of Formica (subgenus Neoformica) are used as slaves by the
obligatory slave-making ant Polyergus lucidus. In any single nest,
however, only one slave species may be found. This contrasts with
the sympatric, facultative slave-making ants of the genus Formica
(subgenus Raptiformica) in which single colonies often contain two
or more species of slaves. The slave species exclusivity of P. lucidus
might result in two ways: (1) raids could be made to only one slave
species of the four available; or (2) raids could be made to more than
one slave species, but the captured pupae could be consumed differentially
by the resident slaves, favoring the survival to eclosion of
only one slave species. This paper reports the results of a study
demonstrating that colonies of P. lucidus will, if given a choice, raid
only colonies of the slave species already present in the mixed nest.
Since scouts typically lead nestmates to target Formica nests (Cool-
Kwait & Topoff, 1984), this selective process must occur through
the perceptions and actions of the scouts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e472b78f6d0f4445b8ec6dde0205f901 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0033-2615 1687-7438 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 1987-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| spelling | doaj-art-e472b78f6d0f4445b8ec6dde0205f9012025-08-20T03:26:27ZengWileyPsyche: A Journal of Entomology0033-26151687-74381987-01-01941-2394410.1155/1987/47105Host Specificity in Raiding Behavior of the Slave-Making Ant Polyergus LucidusLinda Goodloe0Raymond Sanwald1Howard Topoff2Department of Psychology, Hunter College, 695 Park Ave., New York 10021, N.Y., USA212 Mt. Vernon Ave., Medford 11763, N.Y., USADepartment of Psychology, Hunter College, 695 Park Ave., New York 10021, N.Y., USAIn the pine barrens of Suffolk County, New York, at least three species of Formica (subgenus Neoformica) are used as slaves by the obligatory slave-making ant Polyergus lucidus. In any single nest, however, only one slave species may be found. This contrasts with the sympatric, facultative slave-making ants of the genus Formica (subgenus Raptiformica) in which single colonies often contain two or more species of slaves. The slave species exclusivity of P. lucidus might result in two ways: (1) raids could be made to only one slave species of the four available; or (2) raids could be made to more than one slave species, but the captured pupae could be consumed differentially by the resident slaves, favoring the survival to eclosion of only one slave species. This paper reports the results of a study demonstrating that colonies of P. lucidus will, if given a choice, raid only colonies of the slave species already present in the mixed nest. Since scouts typically lead nestmates to target Formica nests (Cool- Kwait & Topoff, 1984), this selective process must occur through the perceptions and actions of the scouts.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1987/47105 |
| spellingShingle | Linda Goodloe Raymond Sanwald Howard Topoff Host Specificity in Raiding Behavior of the Slave-Making Ant Polyergus Lucidus Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| title | Host Specificity in Raiding Behavior
of the Slave-Making Ant
Polyergus Lucidus |
| title_full | Host Specificity in Raiding Behavior
of the Slave-Making Ant
Polyergus Lucidus |
| title_fullStr | Host Specificity in Raiding Behavior
of the Slave-Making Ant
Polyergus Lucidus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Host Specificity in Raiding Behavior
of the Slave-Making Ant
Polyergus Lucidus |
| title_short | Host Specificity in Raiding Behavior
of the Slave-Making Ant
Polyergus Lucidus |
| title_sort | host specificity in raiding behavior of the slave making ant polyergus lucidus |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1987/47105 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lindagoodloe hostspecificityinraidingbehavioroftheslavemakingantpolyerguslucidus AT raymondsanwald hostspecificityinraidingbehavioroftheslavemakingantpolyerguslucidus AT howardtopoff hostspecificityinraidingbehavioroftheslavemakingantpolyerguslucidus |