Trachymyrmex arizonensis
Script error: No such module "AfC submission catcheck".
| Trachymyrmex arizonensis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Subfamily: | |
| Tribe: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | T. arizonensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Trachymyrmex arizonensis (Wheeler, 1872)
| |
Trachymyrmex arizonensis is a species of ants in the tribe Attini. Ants belonging to this tribe are known for their fungus farming behaviors, the most well-known examples being leaf-cutter ants of the genera Acromyrmex and Atta. While Trachymyrmex ants do farm fungus, they do not exhibit the leaf-cutting behavior like their relatives, instead they feed their fungus gardens pieces of plant matter found on the ground. T. arizonensis are native to Southern United States and Northern Mexico.
Description and etymology[edit]
Description[edit]
T. arizonensis are about 5 mm in size and orangish brown in color. Their bodies are covered in tubercles and small hairs[1]. Ants of the genus Trachymyrmex look very similar to their close relatives in the genus Acromyrmex[2]; the two genera can be distinguished by two major factors. Workers in the genus Acromyrmex are often polymorphic[2], consisting of multiple castes, whereas workers in Trachymyrmex are typically monomorphic[2], this means all workers are roughly the same size and there is no physical attribute associated with division of labor. Trachymyrmex also have tubercles along their mesosoma as opposed to the true spines that Acromyrmex have[1]. This particular species is distinguished by its unusual frontal lobes in both the queens and workers[1]. They are also often recognizable by the distinct trash piles they create outside of their nest entrance called refuse middens[1].
Etymology[edit]
This species was named after Arizona, the state in which it was originally discovered by Wheeler[1].
Life history[edit]
Trachymyrmex have a mutualistic relationship with leucocoprinaceous fungi like many of their relatives in the tribe Attini[3]. The fungus acts as a food source for the ants and the ants tend to it and provide the fungus with an ideal environment[3]. When a new alate leaves the nest to found a new colony, it brings with it a piece of the original fungus to grow into a new fungus garden[1][3]. Instead of cutting leaves like many of their Attine relatives, they gather plant debris from the ground to feed to their fungus gardens[1]. A mature colony will have upwards of 5 fungus garden chambers and contain up to over 1000 individuals with typically one queen[1]. They are one of two species of Trachymyrmex known to have trash piles outside of their nest entrances in North America[1][4]. These trash piles, called refuse middens, are yellowish gray in color[1]. There are other species that also pile trash in front of their nest, but these trash piles are ephemeral whereas trash piles of T. arizonensis are always there.
They are associated with Strumigenys arizonica, a smaller ant in the tribe dacetini. S. arizonica was discovered to create compound nests with T. arizonensis[4]. S. arizonica colonies typically consist of 30-40 workers[4] and have only been found around nests of T. arizonensis[1]. Ants of the genus Strumigenys are specialists on collembola[4] and hence are speculated to benefit from the moist, controlled environment of the fungal gardens kept by the Trachymyrmex[4].
Habitat and Range[edit]
Habitat[edit]
This species is typically found in elevations between 1000-2000m and prefers dry environments[1]. Nests are typically found under rocks, under logs, or in open areas[1]. They can be found in a variety of habitats including arid Ocotillo- and Acacia-dominated scrub in mountain foothills, oak-juniper-pine woodlands, and moderately moist creek valley forests[1].
Range[edit]
This species is native to southern United States to northern Mexico.
- United States: Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas
- Mexico: Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Tamaulipas
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Rabeling, Christian; Cover, Stefan P.; Johnson, Robert A.; Mueller, Ulrich G. (17 Dec 2007). "A Review Of The North American Species Of The Fungus-Gardening Ant Genus Trachymyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Zootaxa. doi:10.5281/zenodo.180014 – via ResearchGate.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fisher, Brian L.; Cover, Stefan P. (2007). Ants of North America. University of California Press. pp. 149–150. ISBN 978-0-520-25422-0. Search this book on
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mueller, Ulrich G.; Gerardo, Nicole M.; Aanen, Duur K.; Six, Diana L.; Schultz, Ted R. (2005-12-01). "The Evolution of Agriculture in Insects". Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics. 36 (1): 563–595. doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.36.102003.152626. ISSN 1543-592X.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Gray, K. W.; Cover, S. P.; Johnson, R. A.; Rabeling, C. (2018-05-16). "The dacetine ant Strumigenys arizonica, an apparent obligate commensal of the fungus-growing ant Trachymyrmex arizonensis in southwestern North America". Insectes Sociaux. 65 (3): 401–410. doi:10.1007/s00040-018-0625-8. ISSN 0020-1812.
Lua error in Module:Taxonbar at line 146: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
References[edit]
This article "Trachymyrmex arizonensis" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Trachymyrmex arizonensis. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
