Leaf-Cutter Ant Parasitoids: Current Knowledge

Abstract

This review updates and summarizes the current knowledge about the interaction of leaf-cutter ants and their parasitoids by providing comparable data for Acromyrmex and Atta ants. First, an overview of the relevant aspects of the biology and taxonomy of leaf cutters and of their parasitoids is provided. Second, I show the peculiarities of the parasitoids attacking behaviors towards their host as well as the responses or ant defenses against the phorids exhibited by their hosts. Third, I discuss relevant aspects of the interactions between hosts and parasitoids. Finally, the review ends demonstrating why these phorids could be promising biological control agents of leaf-cutter pests and suggests priority lines of research for the future.

New records and new host-parasitoid interactions of phorids (Diptera: Phoridae) parasitizing leafcutter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Argentina

“…Our results provide further evidence to that hypothesis, because none of the phorid species that we found on Acromyrmex ants have ever been reported attacking or being reared from Atta ants. Over the thousands of ants reared, we never collected any Eibesfeldtphora Disney (Diptera, Phoridae), providing further evidence that this genus specializes in attacking only Atta ants (Folgarait, 2013). On the other hand, all the phorid species we recorded have, at least, three confirmed Acromyrmex hosts, suggesting a low degree of host specificity for these parasitoids within host genus.…”

“…Therefore, alternative methods of pest control have received increased attention, with researchers focusing mainly on biological control either by microorganisms or by other insects (Montoya Lerma et al, 2012;Della Lucia et al, 2014). Amongst the latter, the flies in the family Phoridae have been proposed as promising candidates for biological control of leafcutter ants (Folgarait, 2013) because of two main reasons: their high specificity (Elizalde & Folgarait, 2011) and the indirect effects they have on their hosts, which widely exceed the mortality they inflict (Elizalde & Folgarait, 2012;Guillade & Folgarait, 2014). Research on leafcutter ant phorids in Argentina is relatively new, and therefore the information on their distribution and the ant species they attack is still somewhat limited (Folgarait, 2013;Elizalde et al, 2017).…”

“…Amongst the latter, the flies in the family Phoridae have been proposed as promising candidates for biological control of leafcutter ants (Folgarait, 2013) because of two main reasons: their high specificity (Elizalde & Folgarait, 2011) and the indirect effects they have on their hosts, which widely exceed the mortality they inflict (Elizalde & Folgarait, 2012;Guillade & Folgarait, 2014). Research on leafcutter ant phorids in Argentina is relatively new, and therefore the information on their distribution and the ant species they attack is still somewhat limited (Folgarait, 2013;Elizalde et al, 2017). In this paper, we present an updated distribution of seven species in three genera of phorids attacking Acromyrmex leafcutter ants in Argentina: Apocephalus neivai Borgmeier, Ap.…”

Patrones comportamentales de fóridos (Diptera: Phoridae) parasitoides de Atta colombica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

“…Fóridos con una amplia escala temporal de actividad a lo largo del día es consistente con Bragança, Tonhasca y Della Lucia (2009) quienes dependiendo de la zona geográfica y la temporada del año, registraron para fóridos del género Neodohrniphora (filogenéticamente el más cercano a Eibesfeldtphora), actividad en los nidos de la hormiga Atta sexdens (L.) a lo largo de todo el día. Los fóridos suelen modificar sus tasas de parasitismo, dependiendo de las estaciones del año y a lo largo de diferentes generaciones (Folgarait, 2013).…”

“…Los más importantes, por su variedad de hospederos y potencialidad en el control biológico, y de mayor distribución geográfica son Apocephalus Coquillett, Eibesfeldtphora Disney y Myrmosicarius Borgmeier (Elizalde, 2009;Folgarait, 2013). Entre los diferentes efectos que pueden provocar sobre las hormigas cortadoras de hoja, se encuentra la disminución del reclutamiento hacia las fuentes de forrajeo, disminución en el tamaño de los fragmentos transportados hacia la colonia, pérdida de interacciones competitivas por la comida e, incluso, el abandono de las fuentes de alimento (Feener & Moss, 1990;Folgarait, 2013). También, se puede estimular el despliegue de posturas defensivas de protección con el cuerpo y la asociación con pequeñas hormigas compañeras sobre las cargas que impiden el ataque de los fóridos (Feener & Moss 1990, Elizalde, 2009Elizalde & Folgarait, 2011).…”