Foraging ecology of the thermophilic Australian desert ant, Melophorus bagoti

2005 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Muser ◽  
Stefan Sommer ◽  
Harald Wolf ◽  
Rüdiger Wehner
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Ecology ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Foraging Activity ◽  
Foraging Success ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Desert Ant ◽  
Foraging Site ◽  
Intercolony Aggression ◽  
Melophorus Bagoti

The paper describes the foraging ecology of the Australian desert ant, Melophorus bagoti, a thermophilic, diurnal scavenger with ground-nesting colonies. Overlapping foraging ranges, low foraging success rates, and intercolony aggression suggest intense competition for food between colonies. Daily foraging starts when soil surface temperatures approach 50°C. Workers search individually and collect predominantly dead insects. Occasionally, they consume plant secretions. Foraging activity peaks on mid-summer days. On cloudy days the onset of foraging is delayed, and the foraging activity is low. Ants do not forage on rainy days. Typically, workers start their above-ground activities with a few short exploration runs. On average, they perform one foraging run on the first day of their outdoor lives. With age they gradually increase foraging site fidelity and daily foraging effort. Individual foraging efficiency is low at the beginning but grows with experience. However, due to a high mortality rate and, hence, high forager turnover, average rates of foraging success for a colony remain rather low. The outdoor activity gradually decreases towards the end of summer and appears to stop completely during the winter months.

scholarly journals COMPARAÇÃO DA EFICIÊNCIA DE FORRAGEIO DAS GARÇAS EGRETTA CAERULEA E EGRETTA THULA NO ESTUÁRIO DE PARANAGUÁ, PARANÁ, SUL DO BRASIL

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (01) ◽  
pp. 59-68
Author(s):  
Danila Syriani Veluza ◽  
◽  
Juliana Rechetelo ◽  
Emygdio Leite de Araújo Monteiro-Filho ◽  
Luiz Augusto Macedo Mestre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Shallow Water ◽  
Capture Efficiency ◽  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Shallow Waters ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Foraging Site ◽  
Egretta Thula

The foraging efficiency of birds may vary according to local conditions as a result of the balance between energy consumption and expenditure. The foraging efficiency of Egretta thula (adults n=11) and Egretta caerulea (adults n=69 and juveniles n= 17) was compared in Paranaguá city estuary, in Paraná, Brazil. In 14 hours of observation divided into 2 minutes sessions per individual, were recorded foraging site (mud or shallow water), number of steps, total peckings and successful peckings, and were calculated the success rates, energy effort and capture efficiency. In shallow water E.thula was more efficient than E. caerulea. There was no intraspecific differences in E. thula regarding environments. Adults of E. caerulea were more efficient than juveniles, with greater efficiency in mud than in shallow waters environments. Differences in foraging efficiency between species may be related to the type of foraging according to feeding location.

Foraging ecology of an Australian salt-pan desert ant (genus Melophorus)

2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Schultheiss ◽  
Sebastian Schwarz ◽  
Ken Cheng ◽  
Rüdiger Wehner
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Ecology ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
Plant Materials ◽  
Cluttered Environments ◽  
Desert Ant ◽  
Salt Pan ◽  
Celestial Compass ◽  
Summer Study ◽  
Melophorus Bagoti

Over the expanse of the salt lakes of the Lake Eyre basin lives a species of ant of the genus Melophorus (as yet unnamed), both on the edges of the salt-pan and on the salt-pan itself. Most of the foragers are small (~3.0–5.0 mm), but ~10% of the ants seen foraging are much larger (~7.0 mm) and may form a soldier caste. Foragers are thermophilic and show diurnal activity, displaying a single-peaked activity profile across the day, with activity time limited to 2–6 h at most each day (during the late-summer study period, 28 February to 28 March 2012). They forage largely for dead arthropods, but also occasionally bring home plant materials. Foraging success (not considering possible liquid food intake) is ~20%, resembling the success rate of their congener Melophorus bagoti, which inhabits cluttered environments. When displaced with food from a feeder, the ants head systematically and precisely in the feeder-to-nest direction, thus exhibiting path integration abilities involving celestial compass cues. The study of this species provides an interesting comparative perspective in contrasting desert ants of the same genus and thus genetic heritage inhabiting habitats differing in complexity of panoramic terrestrial cues as well as comparing ecologically similar species inhabiting the same type of habitat (in the present case, salt-pans) but differing in their phylogenetic relationships.

scholarly journals Ocelli contribute to the encoding of celestial compass information in the Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti

2011 ◽  
Vol 214 (6) ◽  
pp. 901-906 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Schwarz ◽  
L. Albert ◽  
A. Wystrach ◽  
K. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Desert Ant ◽  
Celestial Compass ◽  
Melophorus Bagoti

scholarly journals Feeding in murky waters: acclimatization and landmarks improve foraging efficiency of zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) in turbid waters

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 20190289
Author(s):  
M. A. Sekhar ◽  
Richa Singh ◽  
Anuradha Bhat ◽  
Manjari Jain
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Visual Environment ◽  
Behavioural Plasticity ◽  
Foraging Success ◽  
Visual Landmarks ◽  
Water Turbidity ◽  
Turbid Waters ◽  
And Function ◽  
Extended Exposure

Fish inhabiting human-dominated ecosystems are prone to altered sensory environments in which they must live and function. Increased turbidity is one such change that they must deal with. We tested whether an increase in water turbidity and the presence of visual landmarks (coloured stones) affect the foraging efficiency of wild zebrafish. We also tested the influence of extended exposure to differing turbidity levels on the subsequent foraging efficiency of acclimatized individuals. Feeding latency (time taken to find food) increased significantly with increase in turbidity levels from a minimum of 4 s to ca 300 s. However, extended exposure of fish to varying levels of turbidity decreased feeding latencies in acclimatized conditions, indicating that acclimatization to the immediate visual environment plays an important role in determining foraging success. Most significantly, we found that feeding latencies in turbid conditions decreased significantly if visual landmarks were present. This demonstrates that zebrafish use visual landmark cues to navigate to foraging sites when visibility is impaired. This study has important implications on the role of behavioural plasticity and spatial learning in animals that allow them to cope with altered sensory environments such as episodes of enhanced turbidity that could be natural or anthropogenic.

Traveling in clutter: Navigation in the Central Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti

2009 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Cheng ◽  
Ajay Narendra ◽  
Stefan Sommer ◽  
Rüdiger Wehner
Keyword(s):  
Desert Ant ◽  
Melophorus Bagoti

scholarly journals Does Foraging Activity Affect Foraging Success in the Western Harvester Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)?

2008 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 272-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blaine J. Cole ◽  
Rebecca Edwards ◽  
Carter Tate Holbrook ◽  
Lindsey Holm ◽  
Joslin Heyward ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Activity ◽  
Foraging Success ◽  
Harvester Ant

Foraging ecology of the mangrove salt marsh snake, Nerodia clarkii compressicauda: effects of vegetational density

1995 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry R. Mushinsky ◽  
Stephen J. Mullin
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Adult Female ◽  
Mangrove Forest ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Foraging Ecology ◽  
Rhizophora Mangle ◽  
Root Density ◽  
Trial Period ◽  
Foraging Success ◽  
Red Mangrove

AbstractThe mangrove salt marsh snake (Nerodia clarkii compressicauda Baird and Girard) may experience varying levels of foraging success because the prop roots of the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle L.) have a six-fold variation in density. Adult female N. c. compressicauda were allowed to forage for 24 h on a known density of prey in an enclosed habitat simulating one of four experimental prop root densities. Snake behaviors were recorded during the first hour of each trial, and the number of prey ingested was determined at the conclusion of the trial period. Individuals had the greatest success at the root density most often encountered in their habitat. More time was spent in the water than atop roots; but individuals were less likely to forage in the water at low root densities, suggesting that they, like their prey, may be afforded protection from avian and mammalian predation by the mangrove forest canopy. Mangrove salt marsh snakes spent the majority of time resting motionless and appeared to be opportunistic predators, attempting to ingest prey only during chance encounters.

scholarly journals Nest Relocation and Colony Founding in the Australian Desert Ant,Melophorus bagotiLubbock (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Schultheiss ◽  
Sebastian Schwarz ◽  
Antoine Wystrach
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Colony Founding ◽  
Circumstantial Evidence ◽  
Nest Relocation ◽  
Desert Ants ◽  
Desert Ant ◽  
Multiple Matings ◽  
Trail Laying ◽  
Mating Flights ◽  
Melophorus Bagoti

Even after years of research on navigation in the Red Honey Ant,Melophorus bagoti, much of its life history remains elusive. Here, we present observations on nest relocation and the reproductive and founding stages of colonies. Nest relocation is possibly aided by trail laying behaviour, which is highly unusual for solitary foraging desert ants. Reproduction occurs in synchronised mating flights, which are probably triggered by rain. Queens may engage in multiple matings, and there is circumstantial evidence that males are chemically attracted to queens. After the mating flight, the queens found new colonies independently and singly. Excavation of these founding colonies reveals first insights into their structure.

scholarly journals Foraging behaviour and the risk of predation in the black house spider, Badumna insignis (Desidae)

1999 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robbie J. Henderson ◽  
Mark A. Elgar
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Foraging Success ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
House Spider ◽  
The Web ◽  
Model Predator

Many animals adjust their behaviour according to the presence or threat of predators. However, the foraging behaviour of sit-and-wait predators is typically thought to be inflexible to short-term changes in the environment. Here we investigate the foraging behaviour of the nocturnally active black house spider, Badumna insignis. Experiments in which different kinds of prey were introduced into the web during either the day or night indicated that the foraging success of Badumna is compromised by behaviours that reduce the risk of predation. During the day, spiders generally remain within the retreat and take longer to reach the prey, which may reduce their foraging success. In contrast, spiders sat exposed at the edge of the retreat at night, and from here could usually reach the prey before it escaped. The spiders were able to escape from a model predator more rapidly if they were at the edge of the retreat than if they were out on the web. These data suggest that the costs to Badumna of reduced fecundity through poor foraging efficiency may be outweighed by the benefits of reducing the risk of predation

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