Mating and post‐mating behaviour of the European amazon ant,<i>Polyergus rufescens</i>(Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Mori, Alessandra; d’Ettorre, Patrizia; Moli, F. Le

doi:10.1080/11250009409355886

Cited by 16 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…For example, Polyergus rufescens displays a mixed strategy, including females calling near their natal nests and copulation after a mating flight or during raids (Mori et al 1994; Topoff and Greenberg 1988;Greenberg et al 2004). With respect to the number of matings, multiple mating in slave-making females has occasionally been observed in P. lucidus (Talbot 1968) and P. rufescens (Mori et al 1994) and has also been inferred in P. breviceps judging from measurements of genetic relatedness among worker nestmates (Savolainen and Seppä 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mating behaviour in a slave-making ant, Rossomyrmex minuchae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Ruano

Tinaut

2005

Naturwissenschaften

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The mating behaviour of the ant Rossomyrmex minuchae, a rare, protected slave-making species in Spain, seems to be significantly affected by its particular life history and patchy habitat. The mating behaviour of the entire genus Rossomyrmex is virtually unknown. We present here the results of a 3-year study of mating behaviour in R. minuchae.Behavioural observations and limited nest excavations revealed that R. minuchae does not produce sexuals every year, the number of sexuals is low, and the sex ratio tends to be female biased. Females typically exhibit two distinct activity periods. The first, the mating period, takes place in early afternoon: the ants "call" near the natal nest, mate and then return to their nest. The second, the dispersal period takes place in late afternoon: the mated females exit their nest and fly in search of a new, non-parasitized Proformica longiseta host nest. Males are highly active during the mating period, but will remain inactive in the dispersal period even if experimentally presented with virgin females. It appears that females are monogamous, while males are polygamous. When males are late arriving at the female calling site, the females will frequently congregate presumably calling in chorus. The low reproductive efficiency exhibited by R. minuchae, coupled with the postulated low genetic variation in the population, as sisters may mate with the same male, could result in a low survival rate and risk of eventual extinction. The observed decrease in nest density we observed during the 2004 season may be indicative of such a process.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mating behaviour in a slave-making ant, Rossomyrmex minuchae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Ruano

Tinaut

2005

Naturwissenschaften

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“…Before laying eggs, a newly-mated female must locate and invade a colony of the host species and usurp the role of reproductives. In particular, after the mating flights, dealate P. rufescens queens often return to a dulotic nest and follow raiding swarms (Mori et al, 1994). This is an advantageous strategy, because the invasion and subsequent usurpation of the host colony may be facilitated by the panic and disorganisation produced by raiding swarms (Talbot, 1968;Mori et al, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Colony founding in Polyergus rufescens : the role of the Dufour's gland

Mori¹,

Grasso²,

Visicchio³

et al. 2000

Insectes Sociaux

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In the European slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens, the occurrence of chemical strategies during the initial phase of dependent colony foundation or usurpation was investigated. To test this idea, we analysed the effect of the secretion of different glands (Dufour's, poison, pygidial, rectal, and mandibular) on the behaviour of workers of its common host species, Formica cunicularia (subgenus Serviformica). Workers of another species, Formica rufibarbis (Serviformica), were daubed with these extracts, and introduced into colony fragments of F. cunicularia. The results of a set of laboratory aggression test showed that the secretion of the mandibular, pygidial, rectal, and poison glands do not alter the characteristic aggressive reactions generally performed by resident workers against alien ants. By contrast, the Dufour's gland seems to play a crucial role in the appeasement of residents of the target host colony. In fact, its secretion drastically lowers the degree of overt attacks shown by F. cunicularia workers against the intruders. This chemical strategy probably allows an easier invasion and usurpation of host colonies by newly mated females of P. rufescens.

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“…Hence, the mating flight activities seemed well synchronized within the colony. The nuptial flight has been well characterized in the parasite ant Polyergus rufescens (Mori et al 1994). Contrary to A. ameliae, P. rufescens males fly off some days before females, an effective strategy to prevent inbreeding.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A laboratory observation of nuptial flight and mating behaviour of the parasite antAcromyrmex ameliae(Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Souza

Ribeiro

Mello

et al. 2011

Italian Journal of Zoology

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Nuptial flight is a critical phase in the reproduction of most ant species. Here, we describe the nuptial flight and mating behaviour of Acromyrmex ameliae, a leaf-cutting ant social parasite. We observed a nuptial flight of this parasite in a parasitized colony of Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus -known as a host of the social parasite in nature -and we registered the initial and final times of copula as well as the time the male dispended attempting to mate. Mating flight occurred after the beginning of the light phase in the laboratory. Agitation of host workers preceded the nuptial flight, without aggression between host workers and sexuals. Alates were attracted to the light bulbs of the room and formed couples that dropped to the ground immediately after their formation. Copula lasted on the average 1.6 ± 0.6 min. During mating attempts, the male put his forelegs on the female's abdomen while she remained walking on the ground. Copula normally occurred when the female stopped or slowed her movement. No attempt at remating was observed. Dealate females were offered to colonies of Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans, a taxon not known as a host of the social parasite in nature, and were promptly accepted by these colonies. The sex ratio value (males:females) was 1:1.83, another factor suggesting that females mate with only one male.

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Mating and post‐mating behaviour of the European amazon ant,Polyergus rufescens(Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Cited by 16 publications

References 20 publications

Mating behaviour in a slave-making ant, Rossomyrmex minuchae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Mating behaviour in a slave-making ant, Rossomyrmex minuchae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Colony founding in Polyergus rufescens : the role of the Dufour's gland

A laboratory observation of nuptial flight and mating behaviour of the parasite antAcromyrmex ameliae(Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

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