Natural history, behavior and ecology of Camponotus rufipes and Camponotus renggeri (Formicidae: Formicinae): a comparative study in Cerrado vegetation

Author(s)

Mariane Ueda Vaz Ronque

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2013-06-17

Examining board members

Paulo Sergio Moreira Carvalho de Oliveira; Alexander Vicente Christianini; Rodrigo dos Santos Machado Feitosa

• Advisor: Paulo Sergio Moreira Carvalho de Oliveira

Abstract

The genus Camponotus is the second most diverse genus in species in the Neotropics, and most of the species are opportunistic with respect to nesting locations and omnivorous in their diets. The species in this study -- Camponotus rufipes and Camponotus renggeri -- are similar morphologically and are known to exhibit mutualistic interactions with insect trophobionts and with plants bearing extrafloral nectaries in the Brazilian savannah (Cerrado). This study provides an account of the natural history of C. rufipes and C. renggeri in area of Cerrado near Mogi Guaçu, state of São Paulo. We investigated ecological and behavioral aspects of both species with respect to their nesting habits, daily activity schedules, home range, and foraging substrates. The study was carried out in area of cerradão and cerrado sensu stricto, in the hot/rainy season and in the cold/dry season. Camponotus rufipes presented five categories of nests: nests of dry straw, dry straw and trunk, beneath the ground, erect dead trunk and fallen dead trunk. C. renggeri had three categories of nests: beneath the ground, erect dead trunk and fallen dead trunk. All C. rufipes nests were found in cerrado sensu stricto, whereas C. renggeri was observed in cerradão (78.3% of the nests) and cerrado sensu stricto (21.7%). The distribution pattern of C. rufipes nests was aggregated whereas of C. renggeri nests was random. Nest persistence over time was higher in C. rufipes compared to C. renggeri. This fact may be correlated with the availability of the nesting sites in the two types of Cerrado. Colonies of C. rufipes were generally more populous than those of C. renggeri and in both species we found more than one dealated queen, suggesting a polygynous habit. The home range of C. rufipes colonies varied seasonally and were larger compared to C. renggeri. The home range in C. renggeri colonies did not vary seasonally or between Cerrado physiognomies. Foragers of C. renggeri were more frequent in the arboreal substrate than those of C. rufipes. Both species, however, were seen interacting with insect trophobionts and extrafloral nectaries on plants. Camponotus rufipes and C. renggeri were predominantly nocturnal, and their level of activity was affected both by the temperature and time of day. The two species differed in their response to temperature, with C. rufipes presenting a higher thermal preference than C. renggeri. In this study was possible to observe differences between C. rufipes and C. renggeri, which indicate that they are different species. We hope that this study can contribute for a better understanding of the taxonomic status of C. rufipes and C. renggeri and highlight the importance of natural history data as a basis for research in ecology, behavior and systematics (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/04667-4 - Natural history, behavior and ecology of Camponotus rufipes and Camponotus renggeri (Formicidae: Formicinae): a comparative study
• Grantee: Mariane Ueda Vaz Ronque
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master