Seasonal activity of Dinoponera quadriceps Santschi (Formicidae, Ponerinae) in the semi-arid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Entomologia

Jeniffer Medeiros²  Arrilton Araújo²  Helder F. P. Araújo¹  João Paulo C. Queiroz¹  Alexandre Vasconcellos¹ 

[1] ,Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Laboratório de Biologia Comportamental Natal RN ,Brazil

关键词: Ants;    environmental factors;    foraging;    Neotropical region;    seasonality;    Fatores ambientais;    forrageamento;    formigas;    região Neotropical;    sazonalidade;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0085-56262012000100013

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Seasonal activity of Dinoponera quadriceps Santschi (Formicidae, Ponerinae) in the semi-arid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil. We studied seasonal foraging patterns of the queenless ant D. quadriceps (Formicidae, Ponerinae) for 24 months in a Caatinga area of northeastern Brazil, an ecosystem characterized by strong climatic changes throughout the year, in order to determine if regulation of worker activity is based on environmental conditions (air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation) and/or food resources (potential prey: Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, Araneae, Chilopoda and Diplopoda). Foraging activity of D. quadriceps varied over the course of both years, with the highest frequency occurring from May to August, corresponding to the late rainy season and early dry season. This foraging activity was negatively correlated with temperature and positively correlated with the availability of potential prey, but not with total abundance of soil arthropods or with rainfall and relative humidity. Diet composition, in relation to the main taxonomic prey groups, seems to be common to the species, regardless of habitat. Our results suggest that D. quadriceps workers adjust foraging activity to the most suitable period of the year, to avoid thermal stress and increase efficiency. Thus, they present an appropriate behavioral response to seasonal fluctuations in the Caatinga.

【 授权许可】

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