Abstract
This work is part of a study on the social organization ofDiacamma rugosum, a large ponerine ant, which lacks a distinctive reproductive queen. This ant forms a small colony and frequently changes its nest site when the environmental conditions become unfavourable. Experiments in the laboratory showed that slight physical disturbances easily caused colony movement. The process of movement consisted of 3 successive phases: a) an exploration period, b) an movement period and c) a final movement period. The movement was organized by leader ants and 5 to 25% of all workers became leaders. These workers showed both tandem running and carrying behaviour during movement, tandem running being employed to recruit workers, whereas carrying behaviour was strictly limited to carrying eggs, larvae, pupae and males. During movement most of the tandem leader ants are those engaged in outdoor works in daily life. Potential of workers to become tandem leaders was correlated with outside works undertaken in daily life.
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Fukumoto, Y., Abe, T. Social organization of colony movement in the tropical ponerine ant,Diacamma rugosum (Le Guillou). J. Ethol. 1, 101–108 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02347836
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02347836