The Hymenopterous Poison Apparatus. X. Morphological and Behavioral Changes in Atta texana (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Chemically armed mercenary ants protect fungus-farming societies

“…Another possibility is that the guest ant colony remains at risk of occasional attack by the host workers; such antagonism has been observed between M. symmetochus workers and host workers in older colonies (SI Text, Study System). But Sericomyrmex ants have only vestigial stings (20) and often feign death when attacked, and so this does not explain the large number of parasite workers. Thus, it seems reasonable to hypothesize that a large number of Megalomyrmex guest ant workers continue to remain essential for the survival and reproductive success of their own mother queen in ways other than merely reinforcing their dominance over Sericomyrmex host workers and caring for their own brood.…”

Defensive Mechanisms in the Social Hymenoptera

“…The second valvulae are held rigidly at their base (see SB, Fig. 39) and in some other social hymenopteran species that have a reduced venom apparatus (Hermann, 1969a;Hermann et al, 1970) (Fig. The lancets have a considerable degree of movement through a nonfixed tongue-and-groove connection to the mesal surface of the second valvulae The proximal region of each lancet shaft (first valvula) of most aculeates bears a valvular lobe (Fig.…”

“…39) and in some other social hymenopteran species that have a reduced venom apparatus (Hermann, 1969a;Hermann et al, 1970) (Fig. Barb size varies considerably in the aculeates from highly developed (e.g., Apidae, Pogonomyrmex, some of the Vespidae), where barb size often causes sting autotomy (Hermann, 1971;Hermann and Blum, 1967a;Maschwitz and Kloft, 1971), to completely lacking (e.g., Attini, Dorylinae) (Hermann and Blum, 1967b;Hermann et al" 1970;Kugler, 1978a,b). Fig.…”

Toward an evolutionary perspective on hemispheric specialization

“…The fact that organs can change functions, and also serve many at the same time, is a biological platitude. Consider the sting apparatus of hymenoptera: Most ants use their sting and associated venom components for defense purposes; in ants of the genus Atta, however, such as the Texas leaf-cutting ant Atta texana, the same structures seem to function only for depositing trail pheronomes (Hermann, Moser & Hunt 1970).…”