Rossomyrmex minuchae
In ants, rather than "slave" refers to "dulosis" dulóticas species are those that can not survive without the help of other ant species, which are used as laborers. For example, in the genus Polyergus, ants never dig their own nests, nor can they get food, He was not even care for their young. To do so entirely dependent on the slaves.
A colony of ants dulóticas starts when the young queen invades a host colony (which is the slave), killing the queen. The new queen is installed is accepted by the rest of the colony. After that, it forms a mixed colony, which is maintained by periodic attacks of neighboring nests. The slave ants invade the colonies of other species and steal the larvae and pupae. Then raise them as workers for their own colonies.
An example of this is to Proformica Rossomyrmex attacks in Sierra Nevada. When the scouts of the first kind Proformica find a nest, returning to its nest to carry on their partners. For this, the lift and taken to the place where the nest of another species, which seek to attack. When ants nest that will be targeted to detect intruders, closed all entrances with dirt, but this does not prevent the attackers to desist. After several hours of work, depart the earth and get into the nest. Once there, kill the workers and steal the eggs, larvae and pupae and carry them to their nest, where the breed slave laborers with native breeding colony (the daughters of the queen that was installed in the nest .) When they grow up, will also workers, for a colony that is not yours.
Dato: Recently we have discovered that ants slaves who are looked after by to the pupae of the slave, may rebel and kill 80% of pups in their care. This may be a cause of reducing the number of attacks on settlements of its kind.
0 comments:
Post a Comment