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A Visual Guide for Studying Behavioral Defenses to Pathogen Attacks in Leaf-Cutting Ants
Published on: October 12, 2018
Increased host aggression as an induced defense against slave-making ants
Tobias Pamminger1, Inon Scharf, Pleuni S Pennings
1Department of Biology II, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Grosshadernerstrasse 2, D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
Summary
Host ants exhibit an induced defense against slave-making ants. Encounters with slave-makers trigger increased aggression, a temporary memory-based response protecting colonies from parasitic raids.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Ecology
- Social Insects
- Chemical Ecology
Background:
- Slave-making ants (social parasites) negatively impact host colony fitness through raids, causing brood loss and mortality.
- Host ants possess defenses like recognition and aggression towards social parasites, but permanent defenses can be costly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence of inducible defenses in host ants against slave-making ants.
- To determine if cues from slave-making ants elicit a defensive response in host ants.
Main Methods:
- Exposure of Temnothorax host ants (T. longispinosus) to cues from the slave-making ant Protomognathus americanus.
- Measuring aggression levels in host colonies after encountering slave-makers versus nonparasitic competitors.
- Assessing the duration of the induced aggressive response.
Main Results:
- A brief encounter with a dead slave-maker significantly increased host ant aggression.
- This heightened aggression was specific to slave-maker encounters and not observed with nonparasitic competitors.
- The induced aggressive response persisted for at least 3 days, indicating a form of memory, and subsided after 2 weeks.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first evidence of an induced defense against slave-making ants in Temnothorax hosts.
- The findings suggest that host ants can detect and remember encounters with social parasites, mounting an adaptive, albeit temporary, aggressive defense.
- This inducible defense may balance the costs and benefits of heightened aggression in response to variable parasitic pressure.
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