Nest architecture of Pachycondyla striata Fr. Smith, 1858 (Formicidae, Ponerinae)

Nine nests of Pachycondyla striata Fr. Smith, 1858 were excavated between 2006 and 2007 at the UNESP university campus in Rio Claro, SP, southeastern Brazil. The P. striata population was larger in the two nests excavated in the months of August and November, 2006. The nests of this species are simple and poorly elaborated, with chambers and tunnels close to the ground surface. P. striata places the pupae in chambers isolated from the other individuals. The lack of chambers with the specific purpose of conditioning food and garbage underscores the simplicity of these nests.

Division of labor in pachycondyla striata Fr. Smith, 1858 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae)

Four colonies of the ant Pachycondyla striata were used to analyze the specie behavioral repertoire. Forty-six behavioral acts were recorded in laboratory. Here, we present the record the division of labor between the castes and the temporal polyethism of monomorphic workers. The queens carried out many of the behavioral traits recorded in this work however; they performed them less frequently compared to the worker. The workers activity involved chasing and feeding on fresh insects and usingthem to nourish larvae besides laying eggs in the C-posture, an activity also performed by queens, which is similar to that of wasps of the subfamily Stenogastrinae. The young workers were involved in activities of brood care, sexuate care, and nest maintenance, and the older workers were involved in defense, exploration, and foraging. © 2012 Adolfo da Silva-Melo and Edilberto Giannotti.

Modelo arquitetônico de ninhos, biologia e divisão de trabalho de Pachycondyla striata Fr. Smith, 1858 (Hymenoptera : Formicidae : Ponerinae)

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia) - IBRC

Morphology, ultramorphology and histology of ovaries of workers and mated queens of Pachycondyla striata ants (Hymenoptera : Ponerinae)

The aim of the present work is to perform morphological and histological studies of the ovaries of workers and mated queens of Pachycondyla striata ants, which belong to the subfamily Ponerinae. The ovaries, after being removed, were schematized. Next, historesin and electronic scanning microscopy techniques were applied, making it possible to note that the left ovary owns a greater number of ovarioles when compared to the right one (workers - 7 to the right and 8 to the left; queens - 6 to the right and 7 to the left) and that the ovarioles of workers present a rather wrinkled aspect due to the fact that they are not developed. The same situation does not occur in mated queens once they always present oocytes in distinct development phases in their ovarioles. Histologically it was observed that the ovarioles are of the meroistic polytrophic kind. Inside the ovarioles of workers, germinative cells were observed in their distal portion, but their lumen were empty. on the other hand, ovarioles of mated queens presented the germinative cells as well as oocytes in different degrees of development, although more than one developing oocyte was never observed in the interior of each ovariole. It was possible to note the presence of follicular epithelium, chorion and vitellin membrane in oocytes of mated queens, which change morphologically according the oocyte development stage.

Venom gland of Pachycondyla striata worker ants (Hymenoptera : Ponerinae). Ultrastructural characterization

Morphological data concerning the venom gland of worker ants of Pachycondyla striata revealed that this gland consists of three distinct regions: an external secretory portion, composed by a secretory filament that bifurcates in order to give rise to other two filaments; an internal secretory portion, represented by the convoluted gland; and a storage portion, represented by a sac-shaped reservoir. The ultrastructural analysis showed that the reservoir is enveloped by a simple pavementous epithelium, coated internally with a cuticle. The external secretory portion is composed by cells forming a simple cubic epithelium, in which the apical portion presents numerous microvilli while the basal portion of the cells shows infoldings of the plasma membrane containing numerous mitochondria. The convoluted gland possesses cells of irregular morphology with nuclei containing condensed chromatin, suggesting inactivity. However, these cells are in fact undergoing secretory activity, which is probably added to the final secretion produced by the gland. The cytoplasm of these cells contains several elements distributed therein, such as ribosomes and polyribosomes, lipid droplets, and protein inclusions in the form of crystals, thus Suggestive of protein storage, which would be used by the insect when metabolically required. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphohistological study of the venom gland in workers of the ant Pachycondyla striata F. Smith (Hymenoptera : Ponerinae)

Themorphology of the venom gland in workers of the ant Pachycondyla striata (F. Smith) (Hymenoptera: Ponerinae) consists of an elongated sac that is directly connected to the sting apparatus. Three distinct regions compose this gland: the external secretory portion, composed by a secretory filament that bifurcates to originate another two; the internal secretory portion, which is represented by the convoluted gland from which rises the excretory duct that liberates the venom; and the storage portion, consisting of a large sac-shaped reservoir. The histology showed that the gland possesses a strong musculature on its distal third. Underneath these muscle layers, we noted the presence of an epithelium that envelops the internal wall of the reservoir. The presence of a convoluted gland as well as secretion inside the reservoir was also noted.

Morphology, ultramorpholgy and morphometry of the fat body of virgin females and queens of the ants Pachycondyla striata (Hymenoptera : Formicidae)

The fat body cells of virgin females and queens of Pachycondyla striata ants belonging to the subfamily Ponerinae are illustrated from morphologic, ultramorphologic and morphometric viewpoints. Camera lucida drawing techniques were used, as well as scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Measurements of trophocytes and oenocytes areas in the tissue were recorded. The results showed that in P. striata queens and virgin females the trophocytes are arranged in cord-like formations in association with oenocytes. Trophocytes of both castes had round shapes, with rather vacuolized cytoplasm, whereas oenocytes, being smaller than trophocytes, had more homogeneous cytoplasm. It was also observed that both trophocytes and oenocytes of virgin females were larger than those found in the same queen cellular types.

Life Expectancy and Entropy Values for Workers of Pachycondyla striata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae)

We investigated the life expectancy and entropy value for workers of the ant Pachycondyla striata. Seven nests were excavated and these colonies were raised in laboratory conditions. The workers have a mean life-span of 74.48 days, these have a high mortality rate in the period of 1 to 85 days with a high entropy value of H = 0.611, confirming the number of deaths in the initial period.

ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE MANDIBULAR GLANDS OF PACHYCONDYLA-STRIATA ANTS (HYMENOPTERA, PONERINAE) .1. WORKERS

The mandibular glands of Pachycondyla striata workers consists of a proximal reservoir and secretory portion. The secretion is transported from the cytoplasm of the secretory cells to reservoir through individual canaliculi which is subdivided into two portions : an intracytoplasmatic and extracellular one. The reservoir consists of an epithelium made up of thin cells has a thick cuticle. The secretory cells showed a large amount of structures forming the citoskeleton always associated with myelin figures.

Histological, histochemical and morphometric study of female corpora allata of Pachycondyla striata ants (Hymenoptera: Ponerinae)

In this study we utilized both histological/histochemical tests and morphometric/statistical tests to observe developmental differences in the corpora allata in Pachycondyla striata workers and queens ants. The general structure of corpora allata was similar between workers and queens. The differences found among the volumes was not statistically significant when the probability value was set at 5%. Although the queen corpora allata volume has been observed smaller than those of the worker and the right gland volume has been smaller than those of the left one. Differences also were observed histologically, the worker corpora allata cells showed homogeneous cytoplasm and sparse nuclear chromatin in well defined nuclei. It was the reverse in the queens, in which the corpora allata cells showed some secretory cytoplasmic vesicles and nuclei with a different morphology, i. e., from extremely large with sparse chromatin to small with condensed chromatin. Employing histochemical tests verified that the corpora allata in both castes contained large amounts of RNA and protein in the cytoplasm of their cells and an absence of polysaccharides. Differences in the lipid amounts in worker's glands were found, whereas, in the queens' corpora allata lipids always occur.

Dominância hierárquica, organização social e perfil de hidrocarbonetos cuticulares de Pachycondyla striata Fr. Smith, 1858 (Formicidae: Ponerinae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Size and lipid content of nonmyrmecochorous diaspores: Effects on the interaction with litter-foraging ants in the Atlantic rain forest of Brazil

Ants are often attracted to diaspores not adapted for dispersal by ants. These diaspores may occasionally benefit from this interaction. We selected six nonmyrmecochorous plant species (Virola oleifera, Eugenia stictosepala, Cabralea canjerana, Citharexylum myrianthum, Alchornea glandulosa and Hyeronima alchorneoides) whose diaspores differ in size and lipid content, and investigated how these features affect the outcome of ant-diaspore interactions on the floor of a lowland Atlantic forest of Southeast Brazil. A total of 23 ant species were seen interacting with diaspores on the forest floor. Ants were generally rapid at discovering and cleaning the diaspore pulp or aril. Recruitment rate and ant attendance were higher for lipid-rich diaspores than for lipid-poor ones. Removal rate and displacement distance were higher for small diaspores. The large ponerine ant Pachycondyla striata, one of the most frequent attendants to lipid-rich arillate diaspores, transported the latter into their nests and discarded clean intact seeds on refuse piles outside the nest. Germination tests with cleaned and uncleaned diaspores revealed that the removal of pulp or aril may increase germination success in Virola oleifera, Cabralea canjerana, Citharexylum myrianthum and Alchornea glandulosa. Gas chromatography analyses revealed a close similarity in the fatty acid composition of the arils of the lipid-rich diaspores and the elaiosome of a typical myrmecochorous seed (Ricinus communis), corroborating the suggestion that some arils and elaiosomes are chemically similar. Although ant-derived benefits to diaspores - secondary dispersal and/or increased germination - varied among the six plant species studied, the results enhanced the role of ant-diaspore interactions in the post-dispersal fates of nonmyrmecochorous seeds in tropical forests. The size and the lipid-content of the diaspores were shown to be major determinants of the outcome of such interactions.

The influence of fruit morphology and habitat structure on ant-seed interactions: A study with artificial fruits

Artificial fruits designed to simulate lipid-rich non-myrecochorous diaspores were used to test for the effect of fruit morphology and habitat structure on ant-seed interactions in an Atlantic Forest site in SE Brazil. The outcome of the interaction (i.e., if the fruit was removed, cleaned by ants on the spot or had no interaction with ants) and the time of ant response were the investigated variables. Models simulating drupes and arilate diaspores were used to test for morphological effects and four habitat attributes (litter depth, number of logs, number of trees, and percentage of bromeliad coverage on the forest floor), likely to be correlated with the ant diversity and abundance in the study site, were measured to test for the effect of habitat structure. The proportion of fruits removed or cleaned did not differ between the two morphological models. Sites in which fruits were cleaned had more trees than those in which no interaction occurred. This may be a result of the foraging behavior of arboreal ants that frequently descend to the forest floor to exploit fleshy diaspores. Sites in which model removal occurred had lower litter depth than both those in which models were cleaned and those in which no interaction occurred. A negative correlation was observed between litter depth and ant response time. Accumulation of leaf litter at a given point may have constrained the movements of large ants in general, and ponerine ants (that are important seed removers) in particular. We conclude that that local pattern in litter depth and tree density influence the frequency and outcome of interactions between ants and non-myrmecochorous, fleshy diaspores.

Ultramorphology and histochemistry of fat body cells from last Instar larval of the Pachycondyla (=Neoponera) villosa (Fabricius) (Formicidae: Ponerinae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of leaves of Ipomoea batatas (Convolvulaceae) on nest development and on respiratory metabolism of leaf-cutting ants Atta sexdens L. (Hym., Formicidae)

Laboratory colonies of the leaf-cutting ants Atta sexdens feed daily with leaves of Ipomoea batatas showed ant mortality and a significant decrease in the size of the fungal garden after the second week, with complete depletion of nests after 5 weeks of treatment. The mean oxygen consumption rate of these ants was higher than the control (ants collected from nests feed with leaves of Eucalyptus alba), suggesting a physiological action of the leaves of I. batatas on the ants in addition to the effect of inhibiting the growth of the fungal garden.