T H E W O R L D O F

T H E Z O M P O P A S

Brochure 2Brochure 2Brochure 2Brochure 2

---- Tas k organizationTas k organizationTas k organizationTas k organization----

Elaborated by :Elaborated by :Elaborated by :Elaborated by :

Ibrahim Zúñiga Chaves, Adrián Pinto TomasIbrahim Zúñiga Chaves, Adrián Pinto TomasIbrahim Zúñiga Chaves, Adrián Pinto TomasIbrahim Zúñiga Chaves, Adrián Pinto Tomas

Universidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica

Translaled by:Translaled by:Translaled by:Translaled by:

José GuevaraJosé GuevaraJosé GuevaraJosé Guevara

Universidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica

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The 3 brochure series: “The W

orld of the Zompopas” offers a

The 3 brochure series: “The W

orld of the Zompopas” offers a

The 3 brochure series: “The W

orld of the Zompopas” offers a

The 3 brochure series: “The W

orld of the Zompopas” offers a

summ

arized

version of the even

ts and interactions that take

summ

arized

version of the even

ts and interactions that take

summ

arized

version of the even

ts and interactions that take

summ

arized

version of the even

ts and interactions that take

place inside and outside of the colonies of these

fascinating

place inside and outside of the colonies of these

fascinating

place inside and outside of the colonies of these

fascinating

place inside and outside of the colonies of these

fascinating

ants, which belong to the Genus Atta and Acromyrmex

ants, which belong to the Genus Atta and Acromyrmex

ants, which belong to the Genus Atta and Acromyrmex

ants, which belong to the Genus Atta and Acromyrmex

Learn more at:

www.zompopas.comwww.zompopas.comwww.zompopas.comwww.zompopas.com

Made possible thanks to the award: Made possible thanks to the award: Made possible thanks to the award: Made possible thanks to the award:

“Aportes a la Calidad y la Excelencia”, “Aportes a la Calidad y la Excelencia”, “Aportes a la Calidad y la Excelencia”, “Aportes a la Calidad y la Excelencia”,

from Florida Ice and Farm Co.from Florida Ice and Farm Co.from Florida Ice and Farm Co.from Florida Ice and Farm Co.

1. Alex Wild. www.alexanderwild.com

2. Rolando Moreira. Universidad de Costa Rica

3. Ibrahim Zúñiga. Universidad de Costa Rica

4. Dennis Castro. Universidad de Costa Rica

5. Reyner Araya

Photographs

Zompopa ants are the animal kingdom’s grea-Zompopa ants are the animal kingdom’s grea-Zompopa ants are the animal kingdom’s grea-Zompopa ants are the animal kingdom’s grea-

test farmers. They cut leaves and take them to test farmers. They cut leaves and take them to test farmers. They cut leaves and take them to test farmers. They cut leaves and take them to

their colonies in order to prepare a substrate their colonies in order to prepare a substrate their colonies in order to prepare a substrate their colonies in order to prepare a substrate

that will be used to culture a symbiotic fungus, that will be used to culture a symbiotic fungus, that will be used to culture a symbiotic fungus, that will be used to culture a symbiotic fungus,

thus creating a real fungus garden that serves thus creating a real fungus garden that serves thus creating a real fungus garden that serves thus creating a real fungus garden that serves

both a food source and as shelter. All the both a food source and as shelter. All the both a food source and as shelter. All the both a food source and as shelter. All the

tasks within the colony have been optimized to tasks within the colony have been optimized to tasks within the colony have been optimized to tasks within the colony have been optimized to

efficiently culture the fungus.efficiently culture the fungus.efficiently culture the fungus.efficiently culture the fungus.

1111 The first step in the agricultural system the ants

have developed is cutting leaf fragments from trees

and take them to colonies. This task is undertaken

by foragers, which are the medium sized ants in the

colony. The distance covered by a forager on a

roundtrip to the colony is equivalent to a human

travelling 50km carr-

ying a burden of 250

kg.

3333 These newly formed smaller bits are then proces-

sed by another group of ants, the minimal workers.

These create a pulp which is then positioned on the

uppermost part of

the fungus and

cultivated with

symbiotic fungi

taken from the

lower areas. This

way the fungus

garden is constan-

tly growing.

4444 The colony also expands continuously. Ants create

new culture chambers by taking pieces of the fun-

gus garden and taking them to new areas where

they have detected that conditions (humidity, tem-

perature) are optimum for the fungus’s develop-

ment.

5555 The symbiotic

fungus produ-

ces a series of

structures ca-

lled gongylidia,

which are con-

sumed by ants

as food becau-

se of their high

content in nutri-

tious compo-

nents compa-

red to other

parts of the gar-

den. Workers cut these structures and offer them

to the queen and larvae. Next to the text is a mi-

crography of such formations.

2222 Small ants inside the colony take care of cutting

leaf fragments into smaller bits.

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4444

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T A S K T A S K T A S K T A S K O R G A N I Z A T I O NO R G A N I Z A T I O NO R G A N I Z A T I O NO R G A N I Z A T I O N

Their mandibles are

saws specialized in

cutting plant material.

6666 In the lowermost part of the fungus garden partia-

lly degraded plant material and other waste mate-

rials are accumulated. Zompopas have developed

dumpsters, which are places where they place all

that material. Most species do it in underground

chambers away from the fungus gardens. However

some species like Atta colombica, found in the

south of Costa Rica

have their mounds

outside. These in

turn are a nutrient

source for various

plants and animals.

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