Revista de Biología Tropical ISSN Impreso: 0034-7744 ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075

OAI: https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/oai
Forager size of the leaf-cutting ant <i>Atta sexdens</i> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a mature eucalyptus forest in Brazil
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Keywords

atta sexdens
atta cephalotes
ecology
foraging
leaf-cutting ants

How to Cite

Tonhasca Jr., A., & Lima Bragança, M. A. (2000). Forager size of the leaf-cutting ant <i>Atta sexdens</i> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a mature eucalyptus forest in Brazil. Revista De Biología Tropical, 48(4), 983–988. https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v48i4.18990

Abstract

We determined the size characteristics of foragers of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens in a mature eucalyptus forest in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, at daytime (7: 30 to 10: 00 hr) and nighttime (19: 00 to 23: 00 hr). There were no significant differences between daytime and nighttime ant mass (Ma), but leaf fragment mass (Ml) and burden (B = [Ma + Ml]/Ma), which indicates relative load capacity, were significantly greater at daytime. There was a positive linear relationship between Ma and Ml for the combined daytime and nighttime data, and increases in Ma resulted in lower B. We compared A. sexdens characteristics with published results for Atta cephalotes, a closely related species. A. sexdens is larger and therefore able to carry heavier loads, but its burden is about 72% of the average value for A. cephalotes. We suggest that the lower load capacity of A. sexdens in comparison to A. cephalotes is related to its relatively larger size.
https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v48i4.18990
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