THAUMATOMYRMEX STRIPS MILLIPEDES FOR PREY - A NOVEL PREDATORY BEHAVIOR IN ANTS, AND THE 1ST CASE OF SYMPATRY IN THE GENUS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

被引：38

作者：

BRANDAO, CRF ^{[1
]}

DINIZ, JLM ^{[1
]}

TOMOTAKE, EM ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] UNIV ESTADUAL PAULISTA JULIO MESQUITA FILHO, DEPT BIOL, IB, BR-13500 RIO CLARO, SP, BRAZIL

来源：

INSECTES SOCIAUX | 1991年 / 38卷 / 04期

关键词：

THAUMATOMYRMEX; TAXONOMY; COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY; PREDATION; POLYXENIDAE;

D O I：

10.1007/BF01241869

中图分类号：

Q96 [昆虫学];

学科分类号：

摘要：

We describe, for the first time, the predatory behaviour of Thaumatomyrmex ants on millipedes of the family Polyxenidae, based on field observations of T. atrox and a field and laboratory study of T. contumax. The capture of the prey and the removal process of its body-covering setae by the ants before they eat the millipede are described. This specialized behaviour in at least two species of the genus, belonging to two distinct groups of species, indicates a general trend in Thaumatomyrmex. We coupled this study with a comparative morphological analysis of the mouthparts and digestive tube of these and other Thaumatomyrmex species. Also, we report the first case of sympatry in the genus, which suggests that Thaumatomyrmex includes several species. and not only one highly variable taxon, as hypothesized earlier.

引用

页码：335 / 344

页数：10