ABSTRACT
Camponotus (Formicinae) is the most specious and abundant genus of the family Formicidae. The genus is represented by ants that both forage and nest in the most diverse terrestrial and arboreal environments. Among the arboreal species of Camponotus are those of the subgenus Dendromyrmex. We recorded, for the first time, evidence of Camponotus chartifex (Smith, 1860) in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, and expanded the distributions of Camponotus nidulans (Smith, 1860) and Camponotus apicalis (Mann, 1916). We include information on the biology of the species and a discussion on the sampling of arboreal and winged ants. (AU)
Camponotus é um dos gêneros mais especiosos e abundantes da subfamília Formicidae. O gênero é representado por formigas que se alimentam e nidificam nos mais diversos habitats de ambientes terrestres e arbóreos. Entre as espécies arborícolas de Camponotus, estão as do subgênero Dendromyrmex. Registramos, pela primeira vez, Camponotus chartifex (Smith, 1860) para o estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil, e expandimos a distribuição de Camponotus nidulans (Smith, 1860) e Camponotus apicalis (Mann, 1916), incluindo informações biológicas sobre as espécies e uma discussão sobre a amostragem de formigas arborícolas e aladas.(AU)
Subject(s)
Ants/classification , Animal Distribution/classification , Species Specificity , Brazil , Amazonian EcosystemABSTRACT
Ant gardens are a special association type between ants and epiphytes, in which two or more ant species can share the same nest in a parabiotic relationship. This association that occurs in tropical forests is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate ants gardens in the Central Amazon and to determine if ants identify and remove potential herbivores that are visiting the host tree of ants gardens occupied by the species Camponotus femoratus and Crematogaster levior. In this study, it was observed 42 trees occupied by ants gardens. In each tree it was inserted a termite as bait at different distances from the nest, the time of the termites' removal was recorded and it was observed if there was the need of assistance from other ants to perform the removal of the bait. The results revealed that both species examined the tree host to forage. During the capture of the bait, C. levior was more efficient to detect the termite, and it was not observed the need of recruits to carry it to the nest. In some cases, individuals of de C. femoratus identified the bait and individuals of C. levior carried to the nest. The relationship between the host tree and ants is beneficial to both of them, since the tree receives indirect protection against termites and gives support to the ants nest.
Jardins de formigas são um tipo especial de associação entre formigas e epífitas, em que duas ou mais espécies de formigas podem compartilhar o mesmo ninho por parabiose. Essa associação que ocorre em florestas tropicais ainda foi pouco estudada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar jardins de formigas na Amazônia Central determinando se as formigas identificam e removem potenciais herbívoros que estejam visitando as árvores hospedeiras de jardins de formigas ocupados pelas espécies Camponotus femoratus e Crematogaster levior. No estudo foram observadas 42 árvores contendo jardins de formigas. Em cada árvore foi colocado um cupim, como isca, a diferentes distâncias do ninho, contabilizado o tempo para sua remoção e observado se havia recrutamento de outras formigas para realizar a remoção da isca. Os resultados evidenciaram que ambas as espécies examinam as árvores hospedeiras para forragear. Durante a captura da isca, C. levior foi mais eficiente para detectar o cupim, não tendo sido observado recrutamento para carregá-lo ao ninho. Em alguns casos, indivíduos de C. femoratus identificaram a isca e indivíduos de C. levior a carregaram ao ninho. A relação entre árvore hospedeira e formigas beneficiam ambas, pois a árvore recebe proteção indireta contra cupins e fornece apoio para o ninho das formigas.
ABSTRACT
Anaphylaxis and death have been reported due to bite by many species of ants such as fire ant, carpenter ant, black ant (samsum), etc. But anaphylaxis due to the bite of the Common Indian Black Ant (Camponotus compressus) is unusual, and has rarely been reported. We are reporting a case of anaphylaxis due to Indian black ant bite. Though the patient did not provide any previous history of a bite by this ant species, it could be presumed that he could have been bitten earlier. This case report emphasizes the need for precautions against bites by this species of ant which is widely regarded as relatively harmless.
ABSTRACT
Although Merostachys fischeriana is very abundant in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, little attention has been paid to the biological interactions with other animals. The present study describes some of the interactions between ants and this bamboo species. The experiment was carried out in a fragment of a montane tropical forest in the Parque Estadual do Itacolomi, near Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil. Thirty culms of bamboo were randomly collected. The ants were obtained by direct collection from nodes and internodes. Morphometric variables of the bamboo were recorded for characterization of potential ant habitat. Merostachys fischeriana grows in rosettes as a thin bamboo (average = 1,0 cm; se = 0,27; n = 20) and is tall enough to reach the upper canopy of this low forest (average = 9,1 m; se = 2,72; n = 20). Fifteen ant species were sampled. Brachymyrmex heeri Forel was the most abundant in the nodes, while Camponotus crassus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was the most abundant in the internodes. The composition of the species that inhabit the internodes was different from the composition in the node (Q-test: Q = 3,76; P = 0,05). The level of occupation was defined by the number of holes (F = 10,33; P < 0,01), the number of internodes in the canopy (F = 6,84; P = 0,01) and the length of the culm (F = 7,52; P = 0,01). The plant's morphology allowed the occurrence of additional species of ants in the canopy and influenced the composition of the entire ant assemblage.
Subject(s)
Animals , Ants , Bambusa , Ecosystem , Trees , Brazil , Nesting BehaviorABSTRACT
Many ant species displaying synanthropic behavior that have successfully dispersed in urban areas can cause problems in hospitals by acting as bacterial vectors. In this study, we encountered bacteria on ants collected at the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia hospital, in the campus and at households nearby. The ants were identified as Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) and Camponotus vittatus (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the bacterial strains found here belong to the group of the coagulase-positive staphylococcus, coagulase-negative staphylococcus and gram negative bacilli, including antimicrobial drug-resistant strains. An investigation of the bacteria found in the ants and in the environment revealed that some ants carried non-isolated bacteria from the same environment and with high levels of resistance, evidencing the transmission potential of these insects.
Muitas espécies de formigas de comportamento sinantrópico que tiveram sucesso na dispersão em áreas urbanas podem causar problemas em hospitais ao atuarem como vetoras, transportando bactérias. Neste estudo, foram encontradas bactérias em formigas coletadas no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, no campus e em residências próximas. As formigas coletadas foram identificadas como Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) e Camponotus vittatus (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) e as cepas bacterianas encontradas pertenciam ao grupo dos estafilococos coagulase positivos, estafilococos coagulase negativos e bacilos gram negativos, tendo sido encontradas cepas resistentes a antimicrobianos. O estudo de bactérias encontradas nas formigas e no ambiente mostrou que algumas formigas carreavam bactérias não isoladas do mesmo ambiente e com níveis de resistência mais elevados, evidenciando o potencial transmissor desses insetos.
Subject(s)
Animals , Ants/microbiology , Bacteria/isolation & purification , Disease Vectors , Cross Infection/microbiology , Urban HealthABSTRACT
Soft scale insects of the genus Cryptostigma Ferris (Coccidae: Myzolecaniinae) occur only in the Neotropical region and usually live in the nests of ants, or rarely bees, inside plant stems, or feed on plant roots. Here we provide the first report of Cryptostigma from Peru. We describe Cryptostigma guadua sp.n. based on the adult female and the first-instar nymph. These coccids have been collected only from the nests of Camponotus (Myrmostenus) longipilis Emery, C. (Myrmostenus) mirabilis Emery and Camponotus (Pseudocolobopsis) sp. (Formicidae: Formicinae) from inside live bamboos of Guadua sp. (Poaceae) in lowland tropical forest in Parque Nacional del Manu, in southeast Peru. The adult female and the first-instar nymph (crawler) of C. guadua sp. n. are compared to closely related species.
Os coccídeos do gênero Cryptostigma Ferris (Coccidae: Myzolecaniinae) ocorrem somente na região Neotropical e normalmente vivem em ninhos de formigas, ou raramente de abelhas, dentro de troncos, ou raízes de plantas. Neste trabalho, descreve-se pela primeira vez uma espécie de Cryptostigma coletada no Peru. A descrição de Cryptostigma guadua sp.n. é baseada na fêmea adulta e em ninfas do primeiro ínstar. Foram coletados em ninhos de Camponotus (Myrmostenus) longipilis Emery, C. (Myrmostenus) mirabilis Emery e Camponotus (Pseudocolobopsis) sp. (Formicidae: Formicinae), encontrados dentro de bambus vivos do gênero Guadua (Poaceae) planície de mata tropical do Parque Nacional del Manu, no sudeste do Peru. A fêmea adulta e a ninfa do primeiro ínstar de C. guadua sp.n. são comparadas com outras espécies próximas na taxonomia do grupo.