Abstract
The nest dug by the leaf-cutter ant queen of the genus Atta is a vertical tunnel interconnected to a small chamber to hold its offspring and the symbiotic fungus. The depth of the initial chamber of the Atta sexdens rubropilosa ranges from 10 to 30 cm below the soil surface. This available information, could it be that the ideal initial nest depth is adapted to favorable conditions for the initial colony? We hypothesized this depth can provide a minimum temperature range with almost constant temperature, leading to the development of symbiotic fungus and brood yet to emerge. To test this hypothesis, laboratory experiments were carried out and the soil temperature was measured at different depths. The colony development at different temperatures was studied in the laboratory and the brood production (number of eggs, larvae, pupae and adults) was measured until the first workers emergency. Additionally, lipid content and the survival of queens at different temperatures were determined. Our results show an suitable temperature range (ranging from 24.82±3.14°C to 24.11±1.30°C) at a depth of 5 to 25 cm from the ground, an ideal brood development at temperatures of 24 and 28 °C, and consequently a reduction in lipid content of the queens at high temperatures, without affecting their survival in the trial period. These results indicate that the depth of the initial chamber excavated by the queen is suitable for the success of the incipient colony.
Highlights
Nest foundation in Atta sexdens is claustral, where the queen uses body reserves for self-preservation and to cultivate the symbiotic fungus and its brood until the emergence of the first workers (Autuori, 1940)
The survival queen and colony development can be affected in several ways: first, predation is intense at the nuptial flight and nest excavation, the main agents is birds, frogs, lizards, armadillos and insects, such as Canthon spp. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) and ants (Solenopsis, Paratrechina and Nonamyrmex) (Autuori, 1950; Erthal & Tonhasca, 2001; Forti et al, 2012); second, excessive nest digging and greater depths require the queen’s substantial digging effort, which directly affects her survival at this initial stage of the colony (Camargo et al, 2011); third, entomopathogenic or parasitic
The depth of the initial chamber was 17.5±5.5 (Fig 2), in a temperature range varying from 24.82±3.14°C (5 cm) to 24.11±1.30°C (25 cm) considering the averages of every month (Fig 1)
Summary
Nest foundation in Atta sexdens is claustral, where the queen uses body reserves for self-preservation and to cultivate the symbiotic fungus and its brood until the emergence of the first workers (Autuori, 1940). One can hypothesize that a shallow initial chamber requires the queen’s less time and energy, but the queen, the symbiotic fungus and her brood would be exposed to environmental variables such as temperature and humidity (Bollazzi et al, 2008; Lapointe et al, 1998). The survival queen and colony development can be affected in several ways: first, predation is intense at the nuptial flight and nest excavation, the main agents is birds, frogs, lizards , armadillos and insects, such as Canthon spp. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) and ants (Solenopsis, Paratrechina and Nonamyrmex) (Autuori, 1950; Erthal & Tonhasca, 2001; Forti et al, 2012); second, excessive nest digging and greater depths require the queen’s substantial digging effort, which directly affects her survival at this initial stage of the colony (Camargo et al, 2011); third, entomopathogenic or parasitic The survival queen and colony development can be affected in several ways: first, predation is intense at the nuptial flight and nest excavation, the main agents is birds, frogs, lizards , armadillos and insects, such as Canthon spp. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) and ants (Solenopsis, Paratrechina and Nonamyrmex) (Autuori, 1950; Erthal & Tonhasca, 2001; Forti et al, 2012); second, excessive nest digging and greater depths require the queen’s substantial digging effort, which directly affects her survival at this initial stage of the colony (Camargo et al, 2011); third, entomopathogenic or parasitic
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