The AntsFrom the Arctic to South Africa - one finds them everywhere: Ants. Making up nearly 15% of the entire terrestrial animal biomass, ants are impressive not only in quantitative terms, they also fascinate by their highly organized and complex social system. Their caste system, the division of labor, the origin of altruistic behavior and the complex forms of chemical communication makes them the most interesting group of social organisms and the main subject for sociobiologists. Not least is their ecological importance: Ants are the premier soil turners, channelers of energy and dominatrices of the insect fauna. TOC:The importance of ants.- Classification and origins.- The colony life cycle.- Altruism and the origin of the worker caste.- Colony odor and kin recognition.- Queen numbers and domination.- Communication.- Caste and division of labor.- Social homeostasis and flexibility.- Foraging and territorial strategies.- The organization of species communities.- Symbioses among ant species.- Symbioses with other animals.- Interaction with plants.- The specialized predators.- The army ants.- The fungus growers.- The harvesters.- The weaver ants.- Collecting and culturing ants.- Glossary.- Bibliography.- Index. |
Contents
Classification and Origins | 4 |
The Colony Life Cycle | 143 |
Altruism and the Origin of the Worker Caste | 179 |
Colony Odor and Kin Recognition | 197 |
Queen Numbers and Domination | 209 |
Communication | 227 |
Caste and Division of Labor | 298 |
Social Homeostasis and Flexibility | 356 |
The Army Ants | 573 |
The Fungus Growers | 596 |
The Harvesting Ants | 609 |
Weaver Ants | 618 |
Collecting Culturing Observing | 630 |
Bibliography | 645 |
227 | 653 |
378 | 654 |
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Common terms and phrases
abdomen absent Acromyrmex adult alitrunk allometry antennal Aphaenogaster apical army ants Atta Australia basal beetles behavior body brood Buschinger Camponotus clypeal clypeus colony continued TABLE Crematogaster Dolichoderinae dorsal view dorsum Dorylinae Dorylus Dufour's gland dulosis Eciton eggs Emery emigration eusocial feed females Figure foraging Forel Formica formicine Frontal carinae gaster gastral genera genus habitats hairs Haskins head Hölldobler host individual Inquilinism Iridomyrmex larvae Lasius Leptothorax lobes major males mandibles mandibular margin Maschwitz mating median Messor minor workers Monomorium Myrmecocystus myrmecophilous Myrmica Myrmicinae Neivamyrmex nest entrance nest sites nestmates occur odor trails Oecophylla parasitic petiole Pheidole pheromone plants Pogonomyrmex polyctena polygynous polymorphic Ponerinae population postpetiole predators prey propodeal Propodeum pupae queens R. W. Taylor raids recruitment reproductive seeds segments social insects Solenopsis invicta species spines SUBFAMILY surface teeth termites territorial Tetramorium tion tooth tropical unpublished usually Wheeler Wilson worker caste