Investigação dos mecanismos comportamentais delineadores da composição de assembléias de formigas

Abstract

In order to identify the mechanisms that form the ant assemblages in the rupestrian, this study was divided into three parts. In the first was investigated the species ability to find food resources and the behaviors influence of their permanence in the same resources. Baits were offered in a rupestrian area in Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, MG. Were made 60 records, on a 10 baits/quadrant, totaling 40 hours of recording. Of the nine most common species Pheidole obscurithorax, Pheidole radoszkowskii, Pheidole sp.6 and Crematogaster sericea showed highest values for discovery ability and tended to stay longer in the baits. Camponotus crassus, Camponotus renggeri, Ectatomma edentatum, Camponotus genatus, Pachycondyla striata were species with lower permanence rates, may be considered as submissive species due to lower competitive ability. The behavior also influenced the permanence and ranged between agonistic coexistence depending on the species and the context in which the interaction occurred. The two species with greater ability to find resources – P. obscurithorax and C. sericea – were selected for the second part of the study. In order to evaluate competitive mechanisms in places far and near to their nests, has been investigated the influence of distance from the resource until the nest in the aggression and abundance, and the hierarchical status during the foraging. We established an observation plot for each nest, composed by eight baits: four located 1.5m away from the nests and four 0.5m. The baits were observed one at a time, totaling 256 records/species. The behaviors recorded were attack and advance. For both species, the distance of the food to the nest had no effect on aggression (Z= 1,44; p=0,07 C. sericea; Z= 1,44; p=0,07 P. obscurithorax); the abundance of P obscurithorax was higher in the baits near its nest (F = 7.30, p <0.01), while for C. sericea did not differ between near and far baits (F=2,19; p=0,14). In spite of being strong competitors, C. sericea and P. obscurithorax foraged according to their hierarchical status, being the first territorialist and the second aggressive not territorialist. In the third part, we investigated the behavioral patterns of aggressiveness among C. sericea and P. obscurithorax colonies located near (2.40 m) and far (15.60 m) from each other based on the Dear Enemy Hypothesis. We captured 50 individuals/colony to perform dyadic encounters. Were conducted 10 meetings/treatment: control, near interspecific and far interspecific. The behaviors observed were: inspection, antenna touch, self-grooming, avoidance, forward, open jaw, bite, bend the gaster and fight. For each action was assigned a value, used to calculate the aggression rate. Was found more aggressiveness of C. sericea when confronted with P. obscurithorax from the nearby colony (t=-4,935; p<0,001). In contrast, there were no significant difference in x aggressiveness displayed between workers of P. obscurithorax and C. sericea from the far colony (t=0,617; p=0,995). The aggressiveness of C. sericea directed to their neighbors certifies that, in addition to the recognition between different species, P. obscurithorax also can be considered a strong competitor, then Dear Enemy Hypothesis cannot be applicable to these species.