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Pathogen avoidance and prey discrimination in ants.

Hugo Pereira1, Claire Detrain1

  • 1Unit of Social Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 231, Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.

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|April 8, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Myrmica rubra ants avoid infectious prey, especially when sporulating. Their avoidance strategies vary, indicating complex responses to fungal infection cues in food resources.

Keywords:
antsavoidanceentomopathogenic fungisanitary strategiesscavenging

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Area of Science:

  • Myrmecology
  • Insect Pathology
  • Behavioral Ecology

Background:

  • Insects employ sanitary strategies, including avoiding infectious food, as a defense mechanism.
  • Understanding these strategies is crucial for comprehending insect colony health and disease prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if Myrmica rubra ants can detect and avoid prey infected with the fungus Metarhizium brunneum.
  • To analyze ant foraging behavior towards infected prey at different fungal developmental stages.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted binary choice experiments with Myrmica rubra ants.
  • Presented ants with prey infected by Metarhizium brunneum at three stages: conidia-covered, freshly killed, and sporulating.

Main Results:

  • Ants retrieved prey covered in high spore loads but avoided sporulating prey.
  • Ants collected less prey that had recently died from fungal infection.
  • Individual ant responses varied, with some inspecting both prey options before deciding.

Conclusions:

  • Myrmica rubra workers are not repelled by fungal conidia alone but avoid cadavers at later infection stages.
  • Avoidance responses may be linked to perceptive abilities, physico-chemical cues, or innate defense mechanisms.
  • These findings highlight sophisticated sanitary behaviors in ant societies for managing disease risks.