Predation by Megaponera foetens (Fabr.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on termites in the Nigerian southern Guinea Savanna

At Mokwa, in the Nigerian southern Guinea Savanna, Macrotermitinae are the only recorded prey of the obligate termite predator, Megaponera foetens. The main prey species is Macrotermes bellicosus (141 termites m-2a-1) followed by Odontotermes spp. (42 termites m-2a-1). Predation on other species, An...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Oecologia 1978, Vol.32 (1), p.101-107
Main Authors: Longhurst, C, Johnson, R.A, Wood, T.G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ants
Emigration
Foraging
Insect colonies
Insect nests
Insect pests
Social insects
Soil insects
Termites
Worker insects
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Summary:At Mokwa, in the Nigerian southern Guinea Savanna, Macrotermitinae are the only recorded prey of the obligate termite predator, Megaponera foetens. The main prey species is Macrotermes bellicosus (141 termites m-2a-1) followed by Odontotermes spp. (42 termites m-2a-1). Predation on other species, Ancistrotermes cavithorax, Macrotermes subhyalinus and Microtermes spp., amounts to only 10 termites m-2a-1. Macrotermes bellicosus is not the most abundant termite in the primary savanna. It is concluded that factors including termite abundance, termite foraging regimes and seasonality, termite biomass and the reactions of the ants to the termites and their products are involved in successful predation of termites by Megaponera.
ISSN:0029-8549
1432-1939
DOI:10.1007/BF00344694