A volatile semiochemical released by the fungus garden of leaf-cutting ants
Abstract
The symbiosis between fungi and leaf-cutting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) has aroused the interest of researchers about the mechanism used by ants to select plants. The nutritional needs of the fungus garden, and the absence of potentially deleterious substances from plants, are criteria for selection by foraging workers. This is supported by behavioral experiments using fungicide with baits (citrus pulp) or forage plants highly accepted by leaf-cutting ants. The fungus garden is hypothesized to emit a volatile semiochemical in response to a fungicide, which informs ants that a plant is unsuitable for its growth. The objectives of our study were to identify the volatile compounds released by the fungus garden of leaf-cutting ants in response to a fungicide, as well as to determine the behavioral response of workers to healthy and unhealthy fungus gardens. The results showed no difference in the proportion of volatile compounds released by either healthy or unhealthy fungus gardens. Analysis of the responses of ants to healthy or unhealthy fungus gardens in a dual-choice experiment revealed a strong attraction to the fungus garden, regardless of its health status. We therefore conclude that no volatile semiochemicals are emitted by the fungus garden due to the action of deleterious substances.
Key Words: Formicidae; Atta; symbiotic fungus
Resumen
La simbiosis entre los hongos y las hormigas cortadoras de hojas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) ha despertado el interés de los investigadores en el mecanismo utilizado por las hormigas para seleccionar las plantas. Las necesidades nutricionales del jardín de los hongos y la ausencia de sustancias potencialmente dañinas de las plantas son criterios de selección de los trabajadores en búsqueda de alimento. Esto es respaldado por experimentos de comportamiento que usan fungicidas con cebos (pulpa de cítricos) o plantas de forraje altamente aceptadas por HCH. El jardín de hongos emite un semioquímico volátil en respuesta a un fungicida, que informa a las hormigas que una planta no es apta para su crecimiento. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue identificar los compuestos volátiles liberados por el hongo jardín de HCH en respuesta a un fungicida, así como la respuesta conductual de los trabajadores hacia los jardines de hongos saludables y no saludables. Los resultados no mostraron diferencias en la proporción de compuestos liberados por jardines de hongos saludables y no saludables. El análisis de las respuestas de las hormigas a los jardines de hongos saludables y no saludables en un experimento de doble elección reveló una gran atracción para el jardín de los hongos, independientemente de su estado de salud. Por lo tanto, concluimos que no hay semioquímicos volátiles emitidos por el jardín de hongos bajo la acción de sustancias nocivas.
Palabras Clave: Formicidae; Atta; hongo simbiótico
View this article in BioOne
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright for any article published in Florida Entomologist is held by the author(s) of the article. Florida Entomologist is an open access journal. Florida Entomologist follows terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License (cc by-nc). By submitting and publishing articles in Florida Entomologist, authors grant the FOJ and Florida Entomologist's host institutions permission to make the article available through Internet posting and electronic dissemination, and to otherwise archive the information contained both electronically and in a hard printed version. When used, information and images obtained from articles must be referenced and cited appropriately. Articles may be reproduced for personal, educational, or archival purposes, or any non-commercial use. Permission should be sought from the author(s) for multiple, non-commercial reproduction. Written permission from the author(s) is required for any commercial reproduction.