Slavery in the subfamily dolichoderinae (F. Formicidae) and its ecological consequences

Abstract

Evidence of slave-making habits in 2 species of the subfamily Dolichoderinae has been found in arid habitats of western North America. The enslaved species are of the subfamilies Myrmicinae and Formicinae. In previously reported cases of slavery in ants, both the slave-making and enslaved species are of the subfamily Formicinae., In the 2 new cases of slavery reported here, presence of slaves of another species in a colony significantly increases the breadth of diet and/or the range of temperatures at which the colony forages.