ask an entomologist ant mimics · !smell like the ant (wasmannian mimicry):imitate ants chemically...
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1) BugQuizAnswersA. Ant-mimickingcrabspider(Aphantochilusrogersi)
B. Ant-mimickingspider(Castianeirinae:Myrmeciumbolivari)
C. Turtleantsoldier(Cephalotesvarians)à Correctanswer
D. Ant-mimickingkatydidnymph(Tettigoniidae:Macroxiphussp.)
Photocredits:Top(A)&bottom(C)left=AlexWild.Topright(B)=DanielLlavaneras.Bottomright(D)=MuhammadMahdiKarim.
AskanEntomologistAntMimics
AskanEntomologist2)HowtoTellAntsApartfromMimics
A. Countthepairsoflegs(antshave3pairs=6legs!)
B. Antennaeà antsalwayshavegeniculateantennae(“elbowed”or“kneed"antennae)
C. 2nd or3rd abdominalsegmenthas/havehump(s)/nodes
Photoby:DanielLlavaneras Photoby:AlexWild
Photosby:Joanie
antwiki.orgPhotoby:Joanie
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“Humps”
3)WhyDoOtherArthropodsMimicAnts?A. What?🐜 Antmimicry(myrmecomorphy):Themimicryofants
byotheranimals.
B. Why?🐜 Protectivemimicry:Avoidanceà toescape
predation:AntsareabundantANDtheyaresuccessful
predatorsthatareaggressive,tastebad,and/orsting.
Example:Theant-mimickingkatydids(Macroxiphus
sp.)lookandactlikeantstoavoidpredation.
🐜 Aggressivemimicry:Someorganisms(suchas
spiders)mimictheformandbehaviorofantstohunt
theantstheylooklike.Example:Theant-mimicking
crabspider(Aphantochilusrogersi)lookslikeitsprey,
thegiantturtleant(Cephalotesatratus).
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Photos:AlexWild
Aphantochilusrogersi Cephalotesatratus
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C.How(tomimicants)?🐜 Smellliketheant(Wasmannianmimicry): Imitateants
chemicallybyhavingtheirscent(pheromones).Thisway,themimiccanliveintheantcolonyandeattheirthemand/ortheiryoung.
🐜 Visuallylooklikeants(Batesianmimicry):Mostpredatorsdon’twanttomesswithants.
🐜 Behavelikeants:It’seasiertofoolyourpreyifyouactlikethem(aggressivemimicry).Antlikebehaviorcanalsomakevisual(Batesian)mimicrymoreconvincing(asinthecaseoftheant-mimickingkatydid).
References:Gwynne,DarrylT. Katydidsandbush-crickets:reproductivebehaviorandevolutionoftheTettigoniidae.CornellUniversityPress,2001.
Hölldobler,Bert,andEdwardO.Wilson. TheAnts.HarvardUniversityPress,1990.
Pasteur,Georges."Aclassificatoryreviewofmimicrysystems." AnnualReviewofEcologyandSystematics 13.1(1982):169-199.
"TheAntthatWasn't(Aphantochilusrogersi)." – TheAntthatWasn’t(Aphantochilusrogersi).N.p.,02Feb.2011.Web.10Aug.2017.
WhileattendingAntCourse2016,Isawthisant-mimickingspiderinAfrica.Oneoftheotherstudentsthoughtthatitwasanantatfirstglace!