Behavioral ecology of the slave-making ant, Polyergus breviceps, in a desert habitat

In a desert habitat in southeastern Arizona, at an elevation of 1,463 m, Polyergus breviceps conducts slave raids on the related formicine ant Formica gnava. Due to the high temperatures characteristic of this xeric environment, little above-ground Polyergus activity occurs before 1530 hours (MST)....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Southwestern naturalist 1985-05, Vol.30 (2), p.289-295
Main Authors: Topoff, H, Inez-Pagani, M, Mack, L, Goldstein, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal nesting
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Ants
ARIZONA
Autoecology
BEHAVIOUR
Biological and medical sciences
COMPORTAMIENTO
COMPORTEMENT
DESERT
DESERTS
DESIERTOS
ECOLOGIA
ECOLOGIE
ECOLOGY
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Habitats
HYMENOPTERA
Insect behavior
Insect colonies
Insect ecology
PARASITISM
PARASITISME
PARASITISMO
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Pupae
Slaves
Worker insects
Xeric environments
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Summary:In a desert habitat in southeastern Arizona, at an elevation of 1,463 m, Polyergus breviceps conducts slave raids on the related formicine ant Formica gnava. Due to the high temperatures characteristic of this xeric environment, little above-ground Polyergus activity occurs before 1530 hours (MST). The mean onset of raiding occurs at 1732 hours and at an air temperature of 32.7°C. In the oak-juniper woodland at an elevation of 1,646 m, the mean time and temperature at raid onset were 1658 hours and 29.4°C, respectively. Evidence from observations of foraging and colony emigrations indicate that the behavior of Formica workers in mixed-species colonies does not differ from their activities in homospecific, free-living colonies.
ISSN:0038-4909
1943-6262
DOI:10.2307/3670742