Summary
The largest ant colonies in the North American desert are produced by the Mexican leafcutting ant,Atta mexicana (F. Smith), in northern Sonora. The foraging behavior ofA. mexicana is described for the first time. The ants use a system of tunnels and trails extending outward from the nest to reach target vegetation. Over the combined study periods from 1974 to 19777, one colony collected material from a total surface area of about 8,000 m2. The ants selectively attacked two species of winter annual plants and repeatedly utilized four perennials, twoCercidium spp.,Sapium biloculare (S. Wats.), and Larrea tridentata Coville when the annuals were absent. In addition to fresh vegetation, they also collected dry material. The leafcutting behavior of the ants is variable, depending on the size and form of the plant material utilized. The ants foraged during the daytime in winter and spring but became largely nocturnal in summer.
Zusammenfassung
Die grössten Ameisenkolonien in der nordamerikanischen Sonora Wüste bildet die mexikanische BlattschneiderameiseAtta mexicana, deren Futtersammelaktivitäten erstmalig beschrieben werden. Zum Futtersammeln benutzen diese Ameisen ein System aus Tunneln und Strassen, das vom Nest zu der Vegetation führt. Die Hauptbeobachtungskolonie wurde während mehrerer Jahre in den Monaten Dezember, Januar, März und Juli/August insgesamt 24 Tage lang kontrolliert. Sie sammelte während dieser Zeit Pflanzenmaterial auf einer Grundfläche von etwa 8000 m2. Die Ameisen schnitten bevorzugt zwei annuale Pflanzenarten, nahmen aber, wen diese fehlten, auch mehrere Arten von perennierenden Pflanzen an. Zusätzlich zu frischen wurden auch trockene Pflazenteile eingetragen. Das Schneideverhalten der Ameisen war variabel und hing von Grösse und Form der Pflanzen ab. Die Ameisen sammelten in Winter und Frühling tagsüber und gingen im Sommer weitgehend zu nächtlicher Sammelaktivität über.
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Mintzer, A. Foraging activity of the Mexican leafcutting antAtta mexicana (F. Smith), in a sonoran desert habitat (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Ins. Soc 26, 364–372 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223555
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223555