Eciton hamatum
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Eciton hamatum |
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| Johann Christian Fabricius , 1782 |
Eciton hamatum (Fabricius, 1782) is a type of predatory wandering ants from the New World .
Systematics
Eciton hamatum belongs to the subfamily Ecitoninae and the genus Eciton . The species Eciton burchelli is one of the better-known representatives .
distribution
Eciton hamatum occurs in tropical Central America and South America from Mexico to central Brazil and Bolivia . Local subspecies occur in Guyana . Eciton hamatum can be seen particularly frequently in the rainforests of the national parks of Costa Rica . The ant species is most common in the forests of the lowlands and is rare in mountainous regions and arid zones. You can find them at altitudes between 40 and 900 meters, mostly in altitudes of 235 meters.
description
In contrast to Eciton burchelli , the soldiers of Eciton hamatum show thorn-like formations on the back of the head, which protect the sensitive head area in the fight against other species of ants.
Way of life
Ants like Eciton hamatum make up the majority of the biomass in the tropical rainforests. In contrast to Eciton burchelli , their raids are less visible, as the workers of Eciton hamatum mostly hunt on the leaves of trees. Their preferred prey include larvae of other social and state-building insects such as bees , wasps or ants of the genera Dolichoderus and Camponotus . Unlike the generalist species E. burchelli, Eciton hamatum is highly specialized in its food procurement and hunts in long columns and not in broad fronts like Eciton burchelli . Their raids focus on specific areas and isolated zones. Their forays, which usually begin in the early morning hours at the first light of day, form certain patterns and are based on the food supply. Through selective attacks, a massed number of workers can be concentrated in one place within a short time. Several secondary roads branch off from a main track, which is known as a crevasse attack. Distances of ten to several hundred meters can be reached within a day. Due to their high speed, only a few prey can escape. It has been observed that E. hamatum can prey on up to 90,000 insects within a day. In its ecological function and its systematic prey behavior, the ant species ensures that no climax populations of other insects can arise in the delicate equilibrium of the rainforest.
literature
- TC Schneirla: A theory of army-ant behavior based upon the analysis of activities in a representative species , Journal of Comparative Psychology, Vol. 25 (1), Feb. 1938
Web links
- William Morton Wheeler: The Finding of the Queen of the Army Ant Eciton hamatum, Biological Bulletin, 1925
- AntWeb.org: Species: Eciton hamatum
- Eciton hamatum, orange scourge of the social insects
- Army Ants ( Eciton hamatum )
Notes and individual references
- ↑ CW Rettenmeyer, R. Chadab-Crepet, MG Naumann and L. Morales: Comparative foraging by Neotropical army ants, 1983, pp. 59-73 in P. Jaisson [ed.], Social insects in the tropics. Université Paris-Nord, Paris
