Acromyrmex lundii
| Acromyrmex lundii | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Genus: | Acromyrmex |
| Species: | A. lundii |
| Binomial name | |
| Acromyrmex lundii Guérin-Méneville, 1838 | |
Acromyrmex lundii is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina.
Overview
Commonly known as "leafcutter ants" they are a species of ant from one of the two genera of advanced fungus-growing ants within the tribe Attini.
Acromyrmex can be identified from the closely related Atta genus of leafcutter ants since they have 4 pairs of spines and a rough exoskeleton on the upper surface of the thorax.
A mature Acromyrmex lundii colony contains mostly sterile female workers. They are divided into castes, based mostly on size, that perform different functions. Acromyrmex exhibit a high degree of biological polymorphism, four castes being present in established colonies - minims (or "garden ants"), minors, mediae and majors. Majors are also known as soldiers or dinergates. Each caste has a specific function within the colony. Acromyrmex ants are less polymorphic than the other genera of leafcutter ants Atta, meaning that there is comparatively less differential in size from the smallest to largest types of Acromymex. The high degree of polymorphism in this genus is also suggestive of its high degree of advancement.
Like Atta, Acromyrmex subsists mostly on a particular species of fungus (genus Leucocoprinus) which it cultivates on a medium of masticated leaf tissue. This is the sole food of the queen and other colony members that remain in the nest. The media workers also gain subsistence from plant sap they ingest whilst physically cutting out sections of leaf from a variety of plants.
Before leaving their parent colonies, winged females take a small section of fungus into their bucchal pouches and it is with this that the subsequently wingless queens 'seed' the fungus gardens of incipient colonies, cutting and collecting the first few sections of leaf themselves.
Acromyrmex has evolved to change foodplant constantly, preventing a colony from completely stripping off leaves and thereby killing trees, thus avoiding negative biological feedback on account of their sheer numbers. However, this does not diminish the huge quantities of foliage they harvest.
Sub-species
The species Acromyrmex lundii contains the following subspecies:
- Acromyrmex lundii boliviensis Emery, 1905
- Acromyrmex lundii carli Gonçalves, 1961[1]
- Acromyrmex lundii decolor Emery, 1905
- Acromyrmex lundii lundii Guérin-Méneville, 1838
- Acromyrmex lundii parallelus Santschi, 1916
Synonyms
- Acromyrmex bonariensis Gallardo, 1916
- Acromyrmex dubia Gonçalves, 1961
- Acromyrmex risii Santschi, 1925
- Myrmica lundii Guérin-Méneville, 1838
See also
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Acromyrmex lundii. |
- ↑ "Species: Acromyrmex lundi carli". AntWeb. 2010-06-30. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
1. Fernandez-Marin, H., J. K. Zimmermann, and W. T. Wcislo (2003) Nest-founding in Acromyrmex octospinosus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Attini): demography and putative prophylactic behaviors. Insectes Sociaux 50:304-308.
2. Schultz, T. R., D. Bekkevold, and J. J. Boomsma (1998) Acromyrmex insinuator new species: an incipient social parasite of fungus-growing ants. Insectes Sociaux 45:457-471.
3. Wetterer, J. K. (1991) Foraging ecology of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex octospinosus in a Costa Rican rain forest. Psyche 98:361-371.