Hormigas arrieras (género Atta)

Hormigas arrieras (género Atta)
N omb res comu n es: Chicatanas, Hormiga, Sontetas, Zompopos, Cuatalatas (Español) / Leaf-cutting
ant (Inglés) / Tzim-tzim (Maya) / Noku, Tanajura (ND) / Akuán riero, Aña' (Oto-mangue)
Si n ón i mos: género Oecodoma, género Archeatta, género Neoatta, género Epiatta, género Palaeatta, Hormigas
arrieras (subgénero Atta (Atta))
¿Tienes alguna duda, sugerencia o corrección acerca de este taxón? Envíanosla y con gusto la
atenderemos.
Ver todas las fotos etiquetadas con Atta en Banco de Imagénes »
Descripción de EOL Ver en EOL (inglés) →
Taxonomy 1
Taxon omy
Atta are a genus of leafcutter ants, the majority of which are in the tribe Attini. There are, however,
other groups of ants that cultivate fungus. For example, in the UK, Lasius fuliginosus cultivates fungus
in the walls of its nest in order to increase their structural integrity (Schlick Steiner et al 2008).
Di stri b u ti on
The range of this genus extends from the southern parts of North America down into South America. It
is absent from the very southern most parts of South America.
General description 2
Gen . Atta
HNS .
I possess 6 species of Ants, all of small size, which appear to be-long to this genus, having a sting, two
knots in the first sigment of the abdomen, antennae not concealed in a cleft, thorax without spines, and
short palpi.
Biology 1
Many species of Atta have enormous colonies with more physical worker subcastes than any other
group of ants. This may be associated with the habit of growing fungus.The diverse requirements of the
colony include:
collecting vegetation
transporting vegetation to the nest
tending the fungus gardens
colony construction
defence
This range of tasks means that a diversity of worker castes is favoured.The size of the nest that some
species create is astounding. You can watch a video showing some very dedicated people excavating an
entire colony: ant colony excavation - YouTube.
Beh avi ou r
Studies of the co-evolution of the Attini and the fungi they grow shows that some fungal lineages have
been cultivated for at least 23 million years (Chapela et al 1994).However, parasitic fungi also exist,
which infect the gardens and feed from the cultivated fungus itself (Geraldo and Caldera 2007). These
parasitic fungi can be highly virulent for the ant colony and its fungal cultivar.
Diagnostic description 3
Este género , summamente importante sob o ponto de vista económico , precisava ser revisto.
Infelizmente é raro encontrarem-se nas collecções representantes de todas as castas( operários , femea,
machos) provenientes de um só ninho, o que difficulta muito o estudo taxonomico, porque os
caracteres genitaes do macho não podem ser sufficientemente aproveitados para a discriminação das
espécies .
Apresento aqui uma lista das espécies , subespécies e variedades conhecidas até hoje, incluindo as
formas novas abaixo descriptas.
Known prey organisms 4
Atta (l eaf-cu tti n g an ts) p reys on :
leaves
Based on stu d i es i n :
USA: Arizona, Sonora Desert (Desert or dune)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
Functional adaptation 5
Secreti on s are an ti b acteri al , an ti fu n gal : l eaf-cu tter an ts
Members of leaf-cutter ant colonies suppress growth of bacteria and undesired fungi in their fungal
gardens via glandular secretions.
Maintain physical integrity > Protect from biotic factors > Microbes
Maintain physical integrity > Protect from biotic factors > Fungi
"The South American leaf-cutter ants of genus Atta cultivate their food, a basidiomycete fungus, in
their special subterranean chambers, which may be up to 1 meter long and 30 centimetres high and
wide. They cut pieces of leaves from trees to prepare a compost bed for the cultivation of fungus. The
leaf pieces are chewed into small pieces, mixed with saliva and fertilised with liquid secreta. They tend
their gardens well, treating their cultivations with a glandular secretion that suppresses the growth of
bacteria and undesired fungi." (Pallasmaa 1995:45, 47)
Learn more about this functional adaptation.
Statistics of barcoding coverage 6
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records:140
Specimens with Sequences:120
Specimens with Barcodes:91
Species:12
Species With Barcodes:11
Public Records:72
Public Species:7
Public BINs:4
References
1. © Natural History Museum, London, some rights reserved
2. Jerdon, T. C. (1851): A catalogue of the species of ants found in southern India. Madras Journal of
Literature and Science 17, 103-127: 105-105,
URL:http://antbase.org/ants/publications/4764/4764.pdf
3. Borgmeier, T., 1939, Nova contribuição para o conhecimento das formigas neotropicais (Hym.
Formicidae)., Revista de Entomologia, São Paulo, pp. 403-428, vol. 10
4. © SPIRE project, some rights reserved
5. © The Biomimicry Institute, some rights reserved
6. © Barcode of Life Data Systems, some rights reserved