The hunter becomes the hunted: when cleptobiotic insects are captured by their target ants.

Die Naturwissenschaften
Alain DejeanLouis M Lapierre

Abstract

Here we show that trying to rob prey (cleptobiosis) from a highly specialized predatory ant species is risky. To capture prey, Allomerus decemarticulatus workers build gallery-shaped traps on the stems of their associated myrmecophyte, Hirtella physophora. We wondered whether the frequent presence of immobilized prey on the trap attracted flying cleptoparasites. Nine social wasp species nest in the H. physophora foliage; of the six species studied, only Angiopolybia pallens rob prey from Allomerus colonies. For those H. physophora not sheltering wasps, we noted cleptobiosis by stingless bees (Trigona), social wasps (A. pallens and five Agelaia species), assassin bugs (Reduviidae), and flies. A relationship between the size of the robbers and their rate of capture by ambushing Allomerus workers was established for social wasps; small wasps were easily captured, while the largest never were. Reduviids, which are slow to extract their rostrum from prey, were always captured, while Trigona and flies often escaped. The balance sheet for the ants was positive vis-à-vis the reduviids and four out of the six social wasp species. For the latter, wasps began by cutting up parts of the prey's abdomen and were captured (or abandoned the pr...Continue Reading

References

Jul 17, 2004·Comptes rendus biologies·Freddie-Jeanne RichardJean-Paul Lachaud
Dec 14, 2004·Die Naturwissenschaften·Yann HénautTrevor Williams
Apr 23, 2005·Nature·Alain DejeanJérôme Orivel
Jun 5, 2007·Die Naturwissenschaften·Louis LaPierreAlain Dejean
Jul 2, 2010·PloS One·Alain DejeanRaphaël Boulay
Nov 19, 2010·Biology Letters·Mario X Ruiz-GonzálezJérôme Orivel

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Citations

Jun 20, 2012·Die Naturwissenschaften·Alain DejeanJames M Carpenter
Aug 21, 2013·Die Naturwissenschaften·Alain DejeanOlivier Roux

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