Trophic ecology of the armadillo ant,Tatuidris tatusia,
assessed by stable isotopes and behavioral observations |
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| Authors: | Justine Jacquemin Thibaut Delsinne Mark Maraun Maurice Leponce |
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| Institution: | 1.Biodiversity Monitoring and Assessment, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium;2.Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium;3.J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, Georg August University of Gottingen, Germany |
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| Abstract: | Ants of the genus Tatuidris Brown and Kempf (Formicidae:
Agroecomyrmecinae) generally occur at low abundances in forests of Central and South
America. Their morphological peculiarities, such as mandibular brushes, are
presumably linked with specialized predatory habits. Our aims were to (1) assess the
Tatuidris abundance in an evergreen premontane forest of Ecuador;
(2) detail morphological characteristics and feeding behavior of
Tatuidris; and (3) define the position of
Tatuidris in the food web. A total of 465 litter samples were
collected. For the first time, live Tatuidris individuals were
observed. Various potential food sources were offered to them. A nitrogen stable
isotope ratio analysis (15N/14N) was conducted on
Tatuidris tatusia, other ants, and common organisms from the
leaf-litter mesofauna. We found a relatively high abundance of T.
tatusia in the site. Live individuals did not feed on any of the food
sources offered, as usually observed with diet specialist ants. The isotope analysis
revealed that T. tatusia is one of the top predators of the
leaf-litter food web. |
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| Keywords: | food web Formicidae Hymenoptera predation trophic biology |
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