Notes on biology of Brazilian populations of ants of the Pachycondyla foetida species complex (Formicidae: Ponerinae)

Authors

  • Itanna Oliveira Fernandes Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia - INPA
  • Marcio Luiz De Oliveira Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia – PPGENT. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA. Av. André Araujo, 2936. Petrópolis, 69011-970, Cx. Postal 478. Manaus – AM. Brazil. Fone/Fax: +55 (92) 3643-3305
  • Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau – CEPEC. Laboratório de Mirmecologia, UESC/CEPLAC. Rod. Ilhéus/Itabuna, 45600-000, Cx. Postal 7. Ilhéus – BA. Brazil. Fone/Fax: +55 (73) 3214-3254

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v60i4.380-386

Keywords:

males, cannibalism, castes, secondary monogyny, pleometrosis

Abstract

In ants, biology studies are especially important to complete the information aiming to identify species belonging to unresolved or confused taxa in taxonomy. Such observations allow the inclusion of biological data with other characteristics of determined group, something that preserved specimens in collections do not reveal, such as nesting site, foraging time, nuptial flight and especially the relationship between castes, supporting taxonomic analysis and descriptions. Here, nests of three species of the complex foetida of the genus Pachycondyla were observed and collected in three Brazilian localities. Pleometrosis, secondary monogyny and cannibalism were observed for the ant P. inversa. In many ant species, queens newly mated are associated with other queens to establish new colonies, independent of parenthood. In the ant genus Pachycondyla, the reproductive structure varies broadly and aggressiveness seems to be an important factor in structuring the organization and reproductive division in the colony. The occurrence of males in nests of P. inversa and P. curvinodis allowed the description of males. The nuptial flight period was estimated to of P. inversa (August), P. villosa (October) and P. curvinodis (November).

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Author Biographies

Itanna Oliveira Fernandes, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia - INPA

Coordenação em Biodiversidade - CBio

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia - PPGENT

Marcio Luiz De Oliveira, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia – PPGENT. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA. Av. André Araujo, 2936. Petrópolis, 69011-970, Cx. Postal 478. Manaus – AM. Brazil. Fone/Fax: +55 (92) 3643-3305

Coordenação em Biodiversidade - CBio

Programa de Pós-graduação em Entomologia - PPGENT

Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie, Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau – CEPEC. Laboratório de Mirmecologia, UESC/CEPLAC. Rod. Ilhéus/Itabuna, 45600-000, Cx. Postal 7. Ilhéus – BA. Brazil. Fone/Fax: +55 (73) 3214-3254

Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau – CEPEC.

Laboratório de Mirmecologia, UESC/CEPLAC

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Published

2013-12-30

How to Cite

Fernandes, I. O., De Oliveira, M. L., & Delabie, J. H. C. (2013). Notes on biology of Brazilian populations of ants of the Pachycondyla foetida species complex (Formicidae: Ponerinae). Sociobiology, 60(4), 380–386. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v60i4.380-386

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Research Article - Ants

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