Playing with the dead : the corpses of dominant territorials inhibit the activity of subordinate ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

• Autorzy: Maák István , Markó Bálint , Trigos-peral Gema , Erős Katalin , Babik Hanna , Ślipiński Piotr , Czechowski Wojciech

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.3161/15052249PJE2024.72.1.003

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Necrophobia is a widespread phenomenon in animals. Contact with a dead body may involve a potentially fatal threat, as corpses are often sources of infections. Ants recognize corpses based on specific chemical cues and dispose of them by taking them out from their activity zone, frequently piling them up in so-called ‘cemeteries’. Necrophoresis (active disposal of corpses by physical removal), besides reducing the risk of infection for the particular species performing it, can also elicit necrophobia in other species living nearby. Some field observations suggest that in certain ant species corpses can be used to limit the activity of neighbouring colonies of competing species. In our study, we experimentally tested the effects of carcasses of dominant territorial Formica polyctena on the activity of F. cinerea ant under field conditions. We used F. polyctena workers freshly killed at low temperature with a preserved cuticular hydrocarbon profile and, for comparison, corpses stripped of their natural chemical label (washed in n-hexane). Our results confirmed the inhibitory effect of corpses, as the activity of workers correlated negatively with the number of corpses. On average the washed corpses reduced the ant activity by 9%, whereas the corpses with the preserved CHCs signature by 30%. Moreover, in some cases, the presence of washed corpses even increased the activity that did not happen in the other corpse type. Therefore, ant carcasses could be used as signals in interspecific competitive relationships. Whether, by whom and how common is their use should be the subject of further studies.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

activity; conflict; competition; Formica cinerea; Formica polyctena; interspecific relationships; necrophoresis

• Wydawca: Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Czasopismo: Polish Journal of Ecology
• Rocznik: 2024
• Tom: Vol. 72, nr 1-2
• Strony: 35--44
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 64 poz., wykr.

Twórcy

autor

Maák István

• Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 01-818 Warszawa, Poland
• Department of Ecology, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0999-4916

autor

Markó Bálint

• Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor 5–7, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
• Department of Ecology, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary

• https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6039-8231

autor

Trigos-peral Gema

• Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 01-818 Warszawa, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8713-5703

autor

Erős Katalin

• Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor 5–7, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

autor

Babik Hanna

• Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 01-818 Warszawa, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6296-0416

autor

Ślipiński Piotr

• Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 01-818 Warszawa, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7336-4134

autor

Czechowski Wojciech

• Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 01-818 Warszawa, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9422-2453

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