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Schifani E, Giannetti D, Castracani C, Spotti FA, Mori A, Grasso DA. Fight and rescue or give up and flee? Behavioural responses of different ant species tending the mutualist walnut aphid Panaphis juglandis to native and exotic lady beetles. Bull Entomol Res 2023; 113:808-813. [PMID: 37855130 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Mutualism between ants and honeydew-producing hemipterans is a highly successful evolutionary innovation that attains the status of ecological keystone across many terrestrial ecosystems, involving a multitude of actors through direct or cascading effects. In these relationships, ants often protect their hemipteran partners against their arthropod natural enemies, sometimes interfering with the biological control of pest species. However, the dynamics of these interactions are highly variable based on the specific identity of all the actors involved, and baseline data remain scarce. We performed a field experiment exposing colonies of the walnut aphid Panaphis juglandis attended by five European ant species (Camponotus piceus, Ca. vagus, Crematogaster scutellaris, Dolichoderus quadripunctatus, Lasius emarginatus) to a native and an exotic lady beetle (Adalia bipunctata and Harmonia axyridis), documenting the behavioural interactions between these insects and the performance of ants in the protection of the aphids. Our results reveal a significant behavioural diversity among the ant species involved, with D. quadripunctatus and L. emarginatus being the most aggressive and having the best performance as aphid defenders, and Ca. piceus being least effective and often fleeing away. Cr. scutellaris displayed a rare rescue behaviour attempting to pull away the aphids that the lady beetles grabbed. On the other hand, behavioural responses to A. bipunctata and H. axyridis were similar. Further investigations are needed to understand the eco-ethological implications of these differences, while a better understanding of ant behavioural diversity may help refine biological control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Schifani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Daniele Giannetti
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Cristina Castracani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Fiorenza A Spotti
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Alessandra Mori
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Donato A Grasso
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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Dong AZ, Cokcetin N, Carter DA, Fernandes KE. Unique antimicrobial activity in honey from the Australian honeypot ant ( Camponotus inflatus). PeerJ 2023; 11:e15645. [PMID: 37520253 PMCID: PMC10386826 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey produced by the Australian honeypot ant (Camponotus inflatus) is valued nutritionally and medicinally by Indigenous peoples, but its antimicrobial activity has never been formally studied. Here, we determine the activity of honeypot ant honey (HPAH) against a panel of bacterial and fungal pathogens, investigate its chemical properties, and profile the bacterial and fungal microbiome of the honeypot ant for the first time. We found HPAH to have strong total activity against Staphylococcus aureus but not against other bacteria, and strong non-peroxide activity against Cryptococcus and Aspergillus sp. When compared with therapeutic-grade jarrah and manuka honey produced by honey bees, we found HPAH to have a markedly different antimicrobial activity and chemical properties, suggesting HPAH has a unique mode of antimicrobial action. We found the bacterial microbiome of honeypot ants to be dominated by the known endosymbiont genus Candidatus Blochmannia (99.75%), and the fungal microbiome to be dominated by the plant-associated genus Neocelosporium (92.77%). This study demonstrates that HPAH has unique antimicrobial characteristics that validate its therapeutic use by Indigenous peoples and may provide a lead for the discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Z. Dong
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Nural Cokcetin
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dee A. Carter
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Kenya E. Fernandes
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
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Tang D, Huang O, Zou W, Wang Y, Wang Y, Dong Q, Sun T, Yang G, Yu H. Six new species of zombie-ant fungi from Yunnan in China. IMA Fungus 2023; 14:9. [PMID: 37170179 PMCID: PMC10173673 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-023-00114-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Some Ophiocordyceps species infecting ants are able to manipulate the host behavior. The hosts are manipulated in order to move to location that are advantageous for fungal spore transmission. Ophiocordyceps species that are able to manipulate the ant's behavior are called "zombie-ant fungi". They are widespread within tropical forests worldwide, with relatively few reports from subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest. Zombie-ant fungi have been described and reported in different countries worldwide. However, there were a few reports from China. This study proposed six new species of zombie-ant fungi from China based on multi-gene (SSU, LSU, TEF, RPB1 and RPB2) phylogenetic analyses and morphological characteristics. Six novel species of Ophiocordyceps from China were identified as the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis core clade, forming a separate lineage with other species. Six novel species of Ophiocordyceps with hirsutella-like asexual morphs exclusively infecting ants were presented herein, namely, Ophiocordyceps acroasca, Ophiocordyceps bifertilis, Ophiocordyceps subtiliphialida, Ophiocordyceps basiasca, Ophiocordyceps nuozhaduensis and Ophiocordyceps contiispora. Descriptions and illustrations for six taxon were provided. Five of these species were collected from the subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest, and one was collected from the rainforest and subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest. This work proposes that the same host of Camponotus can be infected by multiple ant pathogenic fungi, while multiple ants of Polyrhachis can be infected by the same pathogenic fungi at the same time. This study contributes towards a better understanding of the evolutionary relationship between hosts and fungi, and provides novel insights into the morphology, distribution, parasitism, and ecology of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato. We have provided a method for obtaining living cultures of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis complex species and their asexual morphs based on the living cultures, which is of significant value for further studies of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis complex species in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexiang Tang
- Yunnan Herbal Laboratory, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
- School of Life Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
| | - Ou Huang
- Yunnan Herbal Laboratory, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
- School of Life Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
| | - Weiqiu Zou
- Yunnan Herbal Laboratory, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
- School of Life Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
| | - Yuanbing Wang
- Yunnan Herbal Laboratory, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Yunnan Herbal Laboratory, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
| | - Quanying Dong
- Yunnan Herbal Laboratory, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
- School of Life Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
| | - Tao Sun
- Yunnan Herbal Laboratory, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
- School of Life Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
| | - Gang Yang
- The Council of Management and Conservation of Sun River National Park, Puer, 665000, China
| | - Hong Yu
- Yunnan Herbal Laboratory, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China.
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Monique K, de Souza GR, Calixto ES, Silva EA. Temporal variation in the effect of ants on the fitness of myrmecophilic plants: seasonal effect surpasses periodic benefits. Naturwissenschaften 2022; 109:36. [PMID: 35763172 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-022-01805-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Plants provide extrafloral nectar, which is a food resource taken by ants, especially aggressive species that may act as plant guards. To our knowledge, no study has been conducted to concurrently investigate the fluctuation of plant fitness over its whole reproductive season, recording and comparing both short periods (different samplings during the plant's reproductive season) and the season/pooled data (all fruits produced during the reproductive season). Here, by assigning plants to either ant-present or absent treatments, we investigated the influence of the protective foliage-dwelling ant, Camponotus crassus, on the flower bud and fruit production of four extrafloral nectaried plants (Ancistrotropis firmula, Bionia coriacea, Cochlospermum regium, and Peixotoa tomentosa) throughout their annual reproductive season. Periodic samples in the field revealed a large variation in plant reproduction throughout the season; the increases in buds and fruits were not constantly higher in plants with ants, and in fact, plants without ants had more reproductive structures sometimes. Nonetheless, the examination of the pooled data, i.e., cumulative number of flower buds and fruits produced during the reproductive season, revealed the plants with ants produced more flower buds and fruits (e.g., up to two-fold greater in A. firmula) compared to ant-absent treatments. Our results indicate the effects of ants on plant reproduction are not constant over time, but the net benefits to plants with ants are reflected in increased fruit production. Therefore, the investigations of the benefit of ants on plants should consider the whole plant's reproductive season rather than single samplings within plant reproduction period.
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Poinar G, Maltier YM. Allocordyceps baltica gen. et sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), an ancient fungal parasite of an ant in Baltic amber. Fungal Biol 2021; 125:886-890. [PMID: 34649675 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
An ancient fungal parasite of a Camponotus ant (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) in Baltic amber is described as Allocordyceps baltica gen. et sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae). The new genus is characterized by an orange, stalked, cup-shaped ascoma with partially immersed perithecia that emerges from the rectum of the ant, two separate stromata with septate mycelium that emerge from the base of the neck and the abdomen of the ant, respectively, and free-standing putative perithecia bearing putative asci with putative multicellular ascospores fragmented into one-celled partspores. This oldest known fossil fungus of an ant could represent a precursor of the genus Ophiocordyceps, which at present is the only fungal lineage parasitizing ants of the genus Camponotus. The fossil shows unique morphological features that existed in the Hypocreales some 35-55 MYA.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Poinar
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
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Baranova AA, Chistov AA, Tyurin AP, Prokhorenko IA, Korshun VA, Biryukov MV, Alferova VA, Zakalyukina YV. Chemical Ecology of Streptomyces albidoflavus Strain A10 Associated with Carpenter Ant Camponotus vagus. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8121948. [PMID: 33316994 PMCID: PMC7763447 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics produced by symbiotic microorganisms were previously shown to be of crucial importance for ecological communities, including ants. Previous works on ant–actinobacteria symbiosis are mainly focused on farming ants, which use antifungal microbial secondary metabolites to control pathogens in their fungal gardens. In this work, we studied microorganisms associated with carpenter ant Camponotus vagus. Pronounced antifungal activity of isolated actinobacteria strain A10 was found to be facilitated by biosynthesis of the antimycin A complex, consisting of small hydrophobic depsipeptides with high antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity. The actinomycete strain A10 was identified as Streptomyces albidoflavus. We studied the antagonistic activity of strain A10 against several entomopathogenic microorganisms. The antifungal activity of this strain potentially indicates a defensive symbiosis with the host ant, producing antimycins to protect carpenter ants against infections. The nature of this ant-microbe association however remains to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna A. Baranova
- Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, B. Pirogovskaya 11, 119021 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.B.); (A.P.T.); (I.A.P.); (V.A.K.); (M.V.B.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Alexey A. Chistov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
- Orekhovich Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya 10, 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton P. Tyurin
- Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, B. Pirogovskaya 11, 119021 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.B.); (A.P.T.); (I.A.P.); (V.A.K.); (M.V.B.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Igor A. Prokhorenko
- Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, B. Pirogovskaya 11, 119021 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.B.); (A.P.T.); (I.A.P.); (V.A.K.); (M.V.B.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Vladimir A. Korshun
- Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, B. Pirogovskaya 11, 119021 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.B.); (A.P.T.); (I.A.P.); (V.A.K.); (M.V.B.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Mikhail V. Biryukov
- Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, B. Pirogovskaya 11, 119021 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.B.); (A.P.T.); (I.A.P.); (V.A.K.); (M.V.B.)
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vera A. Alferova
- Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, B. Pirogovskaya 11, 119021 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.B.); (A.P.T.); (I.A.P.); (V.A.K.); (M.V.B.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
- Correspondence: (V.A.A.); (Y.V.Z.); Tel.: +7-9266113649 (V.A.A.); +7-9175548004 (Y.V.Z.)
| | - Yuliya V. Zakalyukina
- Department of Soil Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: (V.A.A.); (Y.V.Z.); Tel.: +7-9266113649 (V.A.A.); +7-9175548004 (Y.V.Z.)
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Abstract
The genus Ophiocordyceps contains the most diverse assemblage of fungi that attack ants worldwide and are remarkably well adapted to the specific ecologies of their hosts. Desmidiospora myrmecophila Thaxt. is closely related to other ant-pathogenic species within Ophiocordyceps, possibly specific to queens, but the sheer infrequency of encounters and previously unsuccessful attempts to culture this fungus has precluded any meaningful assessment until now. A new record of Desmidiospora myrmecophila from Louisiana was found infecting a foundress Camponotus pennsylvanicus queen, the same host species favored by the more common and ubiquitous ant-pathogenic Ophiocordyceps unilateralis clade found in the same geographic locality. To evaluate a long-held assumption that these fungi represent synanamorphs of a single species, we sampled our Desmidiospora specimen along with the local O. unilateralis population for molecular comparison. We are able to present for the first time the in vitro characteristics and morphology of Desmidiospora myrmecophila, as well as a phylogenetic context for this fungus based on combined molecular analysis of representative members of the Ophiocordycipitaceae. Our results place the Desmidiospora myrmecophila lineage within the genus Ophiocordyceps, with a basal affiliation to the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis core clade; thus, in accordance to the "One Fungus-One Name" (1F1N) rule, we propose a new synonym to suppress Desmidiospora in protection of Ophiocordyceps, i.e., O. desmidiospora. These results further implicate this species as an important and quintessential example of cryptic diversity among an already taxonomically diverse and ecologically important group of fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Saltamachia
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 104 East University Avenue , Lafayette, Louisiana 70504
| | - João P M Araújo
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus , Nishihara 903-0213, Japan
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Zakalyukina YV, Birykov MV, Lukianov DA, Shiriaev DI, Komarova ES, Skvortsov DA, Kostyukevich Y, Tashlitsky VN, Polshakov VI, Nikolaev E, Sergiev PV, Osterman IA. Nybomycin-producing Streptomyces isolated from carpenter ant Camponotus vagus. Biochimie 2019; 160:93-99. [PMID: 30797881 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A novel strain of Actinomycetes was isolated from the body of an ant (Camponotus vagus Scopoli) and its genetic and morphological properties were characterized. The 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis of the isolate revealed its high phylogenetic relationship with type strains of Streptomyces violaceochromogenes NBRC 13100T. As a result of antimicrobial activity assessment, it was found that the fermentation broth of the isolated strain both inhibited the growth and induced the SOS response in E. coli BW25113 ΔtolC strain cells. Using bioassay-guided fractionation, mass spectrometric and NMR analyses we identified the active compound to be nybomycin, a previously described antibiotic. Here we report for the first time Streptomyces producer of nybomycin in association with carpenter ants and demonstrate cytotoxic activity of nybomycin against human cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliya V Zakalyukina
- Department of Soil Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234 Russia
| | - Mikhail V Birykov
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234 Russia
| | - Dmitrii A Lukianov
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow Region, 143025, Russia
| | - Dmitrii I Shiriaev
- Department of Chemistry and A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia
| | - Ekaterina S Komarova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow Region, 143025, Russia; Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234 Russia
| | - Dmitry A Skvortsov
- Department of Chemistry and A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia
| | - Yury Kostyukevich
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow Region, 143025, Russia
| | - Vadim N Tashlitsky
- Department of Chemistry and A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia
| | - Vladimir I Polshakov
- Center for Magnetic Tomography and Spectroscopy, Faculty of Fundamental Medicine, M.V., Russia
| | - Eugene Nikolaev
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow Region, 143025, Russia
| | - Petr V Sergiev
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow Region, 143025, Russia; Department of Chemistry and A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia
| | - Ilya A Osterman
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow Region, 143025, Russia; Department of Chemistry and A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia.
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Draft RW, McGill MR, Kapoor V, Murthy VN. Carpenter ants use diverse antennae sampling strategies to track odor trails. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.185124. [PMID: 30266788 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.185124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Directed and meaningful animal behavior depends on the ability to sense key features in the environment. Among the different environmental signals, olfactory cues are critically important for foraging, navigation and social communication in many species, including ants. Ants use their two antennae to explore the olfactory world, but how they do so remains largely unknown. In this study, we used high-resolution videography to characterize the antennae dynamics of carpenter ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus). Antennae are highly active during both odor tracking and exploratory behavior. When tracking, ants used several distinct behavioral strategies with stereotyped antennae sampling patterns (which we call 'sinusoidal', 'probing' and 'trail following'). In all behaviors, left and right antennae movements were anti-correlated, and tracking ants exhibited biases in the use of left versus right antenna to sample the odor trail. These results suggest non-redundant roles for the two antennae. In one of the behavioral modules (trail following), ants used both antennae to detect trail edges and direct subsequent turns, suggesting a specialized form of tropotaxis. Lastly, removal of an antenna resulted not only in less accurate tracking but also in changes in the sampling pattern of the remaining antenna. Our quantitative characterization of odor trail tracking lays a foundation to build better models of olfactory sensory processing and sensorimotor behavior in terrestrial insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan W Draft
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA .,Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Matthew R McGill
- Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vikrant Kapoor
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Venkatesh N Murthy
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Sinotte VM, Freedman SN, Ugelvig LV, Seid MA. Camponotusfloridanus Ants Incur a Trade-Off between Phenotypic Development and Pathogen Susceptibility from Their Mutualistic Endosymbiont Blochmannia. Insects 2018; 9:E58. [PMID: 29857577 PMCID: PMC6023366 DOI: 10.3390/insects9020058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Various insects engage in microbial mutualisms in which the reciprocal benefits exceed the costs. Ants of the genus Camponotus benefit from nutrient supplementation by their mutualistic endosymbiotic bacteria, Blochmannia, but suffer a cost in tolerating and regulating the symbiont. This cost suggests that the ants face secondary consequences such as susceptibility to pathogenic infection and transmission. In order to elucidate the symbiont's effects on development and disease defence, Blochmannia floridanus was reduced in colonies of Camponotus floridanus using antibiotics. Colonies with reduced symbiont levels exhibited workers of smaller body size, smaller colony size, and a lower major-to-minor worker caste ratio, indicating the symbiont's crucial role in development. Moreover, these ants had decreased cuticular melanisation, yet higher resistance to the entomopathogen Metarhizium brunneum, suggesting that the symbiont reduces the ants' ability to fight infection, despite the availability of melanin to aid in mounting an immune response. While the benefits of improved growth and development likely drive the mutualism, the symbiont imposes a critical trade-off. The ants' increased susceptibility to infection exacerbates the danger of pathogen transmission, a significant risk given ants' social lifestyle. Thus, the results warrant research into potential adaptations of the ants and pathogens that remedy and exploit the described disease vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica M Sinotte
- Department of Biology, Program of Neuroscience, University of Scranton, Loyola Science Center, Scranton, PA 1851-4699, USA.
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Samantha N Freedman
- Department of Biology, Program of Neuroscience, University of Scranton, Loyola Science Center, Scranton, PA 1851-4699, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, 1080 Medical Laboratories, 500 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-8205, USA.
| | - Line V Ugelvig
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Marc A Seid
- Department of Biology, Program of Neuroscience, University of Scranton, Loyola Science Center, Scranton, PA 1851-4699, USA.
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11
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Rasoamanana N, Csősz S, Fisher BL. Taxonomic revision of imitating carpenter ants, Camponotus subgenus Myrmopytia (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Madagascar, using morphometry and qualitative traits. Zookeys 2017; 681:119-152. [PMID: 28769722 PMCID: PMC5523882 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.681.13187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The ant genus Camponotus (Mayr, 1861) is one of the most abundant and species rich ant genera in the Malagasy zoogeographical region. Although this group is commonly encountered, its taxonomy is far from complete. Here, we clarify the taxonomy of the Malagasy-endemic Camponotus subgenus Myrmopytia (Emery, 1920). Species delimitation was based on traditional morphological characters and multivariate morphometric analyses, including exploratory Nest Centroid clustering and confirmatory cross-validated Linear Discriminant Analysis. Four species are recognized: Camponotus imitator (Forel, 1891), Camponotus jodinasp. n., Camponotus karahasp. n., and Camponotus longicollissp. n. All four species appear to mimic co-occurring Aphaenogaster species. A diagnosis of the subgenus Myrmopytia, species descriptions, an identification key based on minor and major subcastes of workers, and the known geographical distribution of each species are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Rasoamanana
- Madagascar Biodiversity Center, BP 6257, Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Sándor Csősz
- Entomology, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118, U.S.A.
| | - Brian L. Fisher
- Entomology, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118, U.S.A.
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Rakotonirina JC, Csősz S, Fisher BL. Revision of the Malagasy Camponotus edmondi species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae): integrating qualitative morphology and multivariate morphometric analysis. Zookeys 2017:81-154. [PMID: 28050160 PMCID: PMC4843987 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.572.7177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Malagasy Camponotusedmondi species group is revised based on both qualitative morphological traits and multivariate analysis of continuous morphometric data. To minimize the effect of the scaling properties of diverse traits due to worker caste polymorphism, and to achieve the desired near-linearity of data, morphometric analyses were done only on minor workers. The majority of traits exhibit broken scaling on head size, dividing Camponotus workers into two discrete subcastes, minors and majors. This broken scaling prevents the application of algorithms that uses linear combination of data to the entire dataset, hence only minor workers were analyzed statistically. The elimination of major workers resulted in linearity and the data meet required assumptions. However, morphometric ratios for the subsets of minor and major workers were used in species descriptions and redefinitions. Prior species hypotheses and the goodness of clusters were tested on raw data by confirmatory linear discriminant analysis. Due to the small sample size available for some species, a factor known to reduce statistical reliability, hypotheses generated by exploratory analyses were tested with extreme care and species delimitations were inferred via the combined evidence of both qualitative (morphology and biology) and quantitative data. Altogether, fifteen species are recognized, of which 11 are new to science: Camponotusalamainasp. n., Camponotusandroysp. n., Camponotusbevohitrasp. n., Camponotusgalokosp. n., Camponotusmatsilosp. n., Camponotusmifakasp. n., Camponotusorombesp. n., Camponotustafosp. n., Camponotustratrasp. n., Camponotusvaratrasp. n., and Camponotuszavosp. n. Four species are redescribed: Camponotusechinoploides Forel, Camponotusedmondi André, Camponotusethicus Forel, and Camponotusrobustus Roger. Camponotusedmondiernesti Forel, syn. n. is synonymized under Camponotusedmondi. This revision also includes an identification key to species for both minor and major castes, information on geographic distribution and biology, taxonomic discussions, and descriptions of intraspecific variation. Traditional taxonomy and multivariate morphometric analysis are independent sources of information which, in combination, allow more precise species delimitation. Moreover, quantitative characters included in identification keys improve accuracy of determination in difficult cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Claude Rakotonirina
- Madagascar Biodiversity Center, BP 6257, Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Sándor Csősz
- Entomology, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118, U.S.A
| | - Brian L Fisher
- Entomology, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118, U.S.A
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Bharti H, Wachkoo AA. A new carpenter ant, Camponotusparabarbatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from India. Biodivers Data J 2014:e996. [PMID: 24855448 PMCID: PMC4030243 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.2.e996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 02/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A new species of carpenter ant, collected in the Shivalik range of Himalaya is described and illustrated based on the worker and gyne castes under the name Camponotusparabarbatus sp. n. Presence of dense, short setae on gena and ventral surface of head resembles it most to Camponotusbarbatus Roger, 1863 distributed in Southeast Asia. A regional identification key of Camponotus species is provided from the Shivalik hills of Indian Himalaya.
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Schmid VS, Morales MN, Marinoni L, Kamke R, Steiner J, Zillikens A. Natural history and morphology of the hoverfly Pseudomicrodon biluminiferus and its parasitic relationship with ants nesting in bromeliads. J Insect Sci 2014; 14:38. [PMID: 25373185 PMCID: PMC5657375 DOI: 10.1093/jis/14.1.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/12/2012] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The syrphid subfamily Microdontinae is characterized by myrmecophily of their immature stages, i.e., they develop in ant nests. Data on natural history of microdontines are scarce, especially in the Neotropics. Based on fieldwork in southern Brazil, this study provided new data on development and ecology of the hoverfly Pseudomicrodon biluminiferus (Hull) (Diptera: Syrphidae) as well as the first morphological descriptions of male genitalia, larvae, and pupa. Immature specimens were specifically found in colonies of the ant species Crematogaster limata Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) found in rosettes of the bromeliad species Aechmea lindenii (E. Morren) Baker (Poales: Bromeliaceae) and A. nudicaulis (L.) Grisebach. Third instar larvae were observed preying on ant larvae, revealing the parasitic nature of P. biluminiferus. In this and several other aspects, the natural history of P. biluminiferus is similar to that of Holarctic microdontine species. Exceptions include: (i) indications that adults of P. biluminiferus outlast the winter months (in contrast to 3(rd)instar larvae in Holarctic species) and (ii) P. biluminiferus' relationship with bromeliads. The importance of bromeliads for this host-parasite system is evaluated in this paper. The single occurrence of another, unidentified microdontine species' pupae in a nest of the ant species Camponotus melanoticus Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker S Schmid
- Biologie I, Universität Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany Med.-Naturwissenschaftliches Forschungszentrum, Ob dem Himmelreich 7, Universität Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mírian N Morales
- Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Dept. de Zoologia, Pós-graduação em Entomologia, Cx. Postal 19020, 81531-980 Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Luciane Marinoni
- Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Dept. de Zoologia, Pós-graduação em Entomologia, Cx. Postal 19020, 81531-980 Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Rafael Kamke
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Laboratório de Abelhas Nativas (LANUFSC), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Campus Universitário Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Josefina Steiner
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Laboratório de Abelhas Nativas (LANUFSC), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Campus Universitário Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Anne Zillikens
- Med.-Naturwissenschaftliches Forschungszentrum, Ob dem Himmelreich 7, Universität Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Laboratório de Abelhas Nativas (LANUFSC), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Campus Universitário Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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Hansson C, Lachaud JP, Pérez-Lachaud G. Entedoninae wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eulophidae) associated with ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in tropical America, with new species and notes on their biology. Zookeys 2011:65-82. [PMID: 22140342 PMCID: PMC3229211 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.134.1653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2011] [Accepted: 09/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Three new species of Eulophidae associated, or presumed to be associated with ants are described: two species of Horismenus Walker and one species of Microdonophagus Schauff. Information on the biology is also included. The two Horismenus species are from Chiapas, Mexico. Horismenus myrmecophagussp. n. is known only from females and is a gregarious endoparasitoid in larvae of the weaver ant Camponotus sp. ca. textor. The parasitoids pupate inside the host larva, and an average of 6.7 individuals develops per host. This is the second time a species of genus Horismenus is found parasitizing the brood of a formicine ant of genus Camponotus. Horismenus microdonophagussp. n. is described from both males and females, and is a gregarious endoparasitoid attacking the larvae of Microdon sp. (Diptera: Syrphidae), a predator on ant brood found in nests of Camponotus sp. ca. textor. The new species of Microdonophagus, Microdonophagus tertius, is from Costa Rica, and known only from the female. Nothing is known about its biology but since another species in same genus, Microdonophagus woodleyi Schauff, is associated with ants through its host, Microdon larva (with same biology as Horismenus microdonophagus), it is possible that also Microdonophagus tertius has this association. A new distributional record for Microdonophagus woodleyi is also reported, extending its distribution from Panama and Colombia to Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christer Hansson
- Scientific Associate of Entomology Department, the Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
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