Chemical Communication in Meranoplus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Common names for Australian ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Most insects do not have common names, and this is a significant barrier to public interest in them, and to their study by non-specialists. This holds for even highly familiar insect groups such as ants. Here, I propose common names for all major native Australian ant genera and species-groups, as well as for many of the most abundant and distinctive species. Sixty-two genera, 142 species-group...

A North Florida Ant Fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Morphology and Chemical Contents of Dufour Glands of Pseudomyrmex Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour gland of a pseudomyrmecine ant is de­ scribed. The gland has an unusually large volume but possesses a very thin epithelial lining. Its morphology does not constitute a specific subfamily character as in some ant subfamilies. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the glands of three species showed them all to be rich in saturated lin...

Mandibular and postpharyngeal gland secretions of Acromyrmex landolti (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as chemical cues for nestmate recognition.

Nestmate recognition is fundamental for the cohesiveness of the colony in social insects. Acromyrmex landolti is a higher Attini, a leaf-cutter ant with largest nest and morphological castes. We studied the location of the recognition signal of A. landolti on the whole ant body, the isolation effect on the capacity of nestmate recognition, and the role of the mandibular (MG) and post-pharyngeal...

A taxonomic revision of the Meranoplus F. Smith of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) with keys to species and diagnosis of the males.

The species-level taxonomy of the ant genus Meranoplus F. Smith from Madagascar is revised. Two new species, M. cryptomys sp. n. and sylvarius sp. n. are described from workers and queens; M. mayri Forel, 1910, and M. radamae Forel, 1891, are redescribed, and queens and males for these two species are described for the first time. The first diagnosis of Meranoplus males for any biogeographic re...