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(Referência obtida automaticamente do Web of Science, por meio da informação sobre o financiamento pela FAPESP e o número do processo correspondente, incluída na publicação pelos autores.)

A new workerless inquiline in the Lower Attini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a discussion of social parasitism in fungus-growing ants

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Autor(es):
Rabeling, Christian [1] ; Bacci, Jr., Mauricio [2]
Número total de Autores: 2
Afiliação do(s) autor(es):
[1] Univ Texas Austin, Sect Integrat Biol, Austin, TX 78712 - USA
[2] Sao Paulo State Univ, Ctr Study Social Insects, Rio Claro, SP - Brazil
Número total de Afiliações: 2
Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
Fonte: Systematic Entomology; v. 35, n. 3, p. 379-392, JUL 2010.
Citações Web of Science: 22
Resumo

Ant inquilines are obligate social parasites, usually lacking a sterile worker caste, which are dependent on their hosts for survival and reproduction. Social parasites are rare among the fungus-gardening ants (Myrmicinae: tribe Attini) and only four species are known until now, all being inquilines from the Higher Attini. We describe Mycocepurus castrator sp.n., the first inquiline social parasite to be discovered in the Lower Attini. Our study of the parasite's behaviour and life history supports the conclusion drawn from external morphology: Mycocepurus castrator is an evolutionarily derived inquiline parasite of Mycocepurus goeldii. Inquilines are of great interest to evolutionary biology because it is debated if they originated via sympatric or allopatric speciation. We discuss the life history evolution, behaviour and morphology of socially parasitic, fungus-growing ants. (AU)

Processo FAPESP: 06/00185-7 - Sistemática molecular e diversidade de algumas espécies de formigas cortadeiras
Beneficiário:Mauricio Bacci Junior
Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular