Search results for "Tetramorium"
showing 3 items of 3 documents
Exotic Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Invading Mediterranean Europe: a Brief Summary over About 200 Years of Documented Introductions
2019
Exotic ants have emerged as a relevant topic worldwide because of their remarkable impacts on native ecosystems and human activities. A first regional overview is given on the dozens of exotic ant species recorded in Mediterranean Europe since the end of the 19th century. About 39 exotic ant species, belonging to 17 genera and originating from 5 different biogeographical realms, are currently believed to be established in this region. The genera Nylanderia and Tetramorium are those hosting the larger proportion of species, while the Afrotropical realm is the prevalent source of taxa. According to the available data, France, Greece, Italy and Spain all host a high number of exotic species, w…
Aggressive mimicry coexists with mutualism in an aphid
2015
Understanding the evolutionary transition from interspecific exploitation to cooperation is a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Ant-aphid relationships represent an ideal system to this end because they encompass a coevolutionary continuum of interactions ranging from mutualism to antagonism. In this study, we report an unprecedented interaction along this continuum: aggressive mimicry in aphids. We show that two morphs clonally produced by the aphid Paracletus cimiciformis during its root-dwelling phase establish relationships with ants at opposite sides of the mutualism-antagonism continuum. Although one of these morphs exhibits the conventional trophobiotic (mutualistic) relations…
Data from: I smell where you walked – how chemical cues influence movement decisions in ants
2016
Interactions between animals are not restricted to direct encounters. Frequently, individuals detect the proximity of others through cues unintentionally left by others, such as prey species assessing predation risk based on indirect predator cues. However, while the importance of indirect cues in predator–prey interactions has been intensely studied, their role in interactions among competitors, and their consequences for community structure, are little known to date. Ant communities are usually structured by aggressive interactions between competing species. Responding to cues of others should be useful to avoid competitors or discover food sources. In ants and other insects, such cues in…