Direct ingestion of plant sap from cut leaves by the leaf-cutting ants Atta cephalotes (L.) and acromyrmex octospinosus (reich) (Formicidae, Attini)

Publisher： Cambridge University Press

E-ISSN： 1475-2670|66|2|205-217

ISSN： 0007-4853

Source： Bulletin of Entomological Research, Vol.66, Iss.2, 1976-06, pp. : 205-217

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Abstract

Ingestion of radiolabelled plant juices from cut surfaces of leaves during foraging and during substrate preparation for the fungus garden was demonstrated for laboratory colonies of the leaf-cutting ants Atta cephalotes (L.) and Acromyrmex octospinosus (Reich). Using P³² isotope, up to one-third of the radioactivity in the leaves was taken in directly by the colony as a whole, but this was much less when C¹⁴ was used. Additional plant material was taken in by the ants via the fungus garden. Large numbers of ants spend time in investigating cut surfaces of leaves and also in cutting and crimping leaves. Ingestion of plant material during these processes could play an important nutritional role in the colony and this may explain why many ants return from foraging apparently unladen. Large ants obtained most of their plant juice intake during foraging and the medium and small ants took much of theirs during substrate preparation. Inhibitory chemicals did not affect cutting but they reduced drinking and also reduced the intake of P³² from leaves during substrate preparation. The ants also ingested different amounts of P³² from leaves of different acceptability. It is suggested that leaf-cutting ants use fungus culture as a means of ‘sidestepping’ plant inhibitors. Nutrients are ingested directly from leaves when these are palatable, and the less palatable components are made available to the ants via the fungus.