| fungus-growing ants (hymenoptera: formicidae) on santa catarina island, brazil: patterns of occurrence. | a taxonomic survey on fungus-growing ants (attini) was made at 14 beaches on santa catarina island (sc), brazil. the samplings were manual, in soil or litterfall, in the following habitats: sandy beach, herbaceous vegetation and shrubby vegetation. from 12 species of attini (ten of acromyrmex mayr and two of cyphomyrmex mayr), the most frequent were cyphomyrmex morschi emery and acromyrmex crassispinus forel, collected, respectively, on eight and ten of the monitored beaches. altogether, sorense ... | 2000 | 11354971 |
| the role of the symbiotic fungus in the digestive metabolism of two species of fungus-growing ants. | leaf-cutting ants live in an obligatory symbiosis with a fungus which they grow on fresh leaves harvested by workers. this study attempts to clarify the respective role of ants and fungus in the degradation of plant material, in order to highlight the evolutionary basis of this mutualistic association. the symbiotic system of two ant species, acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus and acromyrmex crassispinus, was investigated. to identify the digestive carbohydrases, a total of 19 specific and syn ... | 2002 | 11916111 |
| the influence of the scout upon the decision-making process of recruited workers in three acromyrmex species (formicidae: attini). | we examined how the information communicated by a scout worker influences the plant species transported by recruited workers in acromyrmex balzani, acromyrmex rugosus, and acromyrmex crassispinus, three species of leaf-cutting ant that have different substrate and habitat preferences. we verified that certain plant species were more likely to be transported than others and that recruitment occurs. we found that recruited workers were more likely to transport non-preferred plant species when they ... | 2004 | 15518996 |
| survey of neodohrniphora spp. (diptera: phoridae) at colonies of atta sexdens rubropilosa (forel) and specificity of attack behaviour in relation to their hosts. | atta sexdens rubropilosa is a leaf-cutting ant that is a significant agricultural and forestry pest in the neotropical region. this ant is parasitized by flies from the genera neodohrniphora spp., apocephalus spp. and myrmosicarius spp. this study was carried out to determine which species of neodohrniphora spp. are found near foraging trails of atta sexdens rubropilosa and to evaluate the specificity of attack behaviour of these parasitoids. from may 2002 to april 2004, we sampled neodohrniphor ... | 2008 | 18257954 |
| [spatial distribution of nests of acromyrmex crassispinus (forel) (hymenoptera: formicidae) in pinus taeda plantations]. | the spatial distribution of insects is essential to perform control strategies, to improve sample techniques and to estimate economic losses. we aimed to determine the spatial distribution of nests of acromyrmex crassispinus (forel) in pinus taeda plantations. the experiments were carried out in p. taeda plantations with different ages (treatments: recently-planted, three and six-year old plants). the study took place in rio negrinho and in três barras, sc. three plots of one hectare were delimi ... | 2010 | 21271050 |