Studies on the role of the infrabuccal pocket of the leaf-cutting antAcromyrmex octospinosus (Reich) (Hym., Formicidae)

Abstract

The leaf-cutting antAcromyrmex octospinosus was shown to filter out into its infrabuccal pocket from liquid food, particles down to ten μ in diameter. The pocket acted as a receptacle for material licked from the ants' fungus garden and from their own bodies, and for leaf wax licked from leaves used for fungus culture. The infrabuccal pellets of worker ants, which might contain contaminating fungal spores, were always found away from the fungus garden and mostly on the refuse dump. Virgin queens however, regurgitated their pellets onto the fungus garden. Pellets regurgitated by worker ants were streaked onto agar plates, and from these the ant fungus was cultured. Worker ants were not able to start a new fungus garden, but the use of the infrabuccal pocket by queens to transmit the ant fungus to newly founded colonies can be seen as part of a general behaviour pattern.