%0 Journal Article
%T Initial behavior in colony fragments of an introduced population of the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata
%A Masse, P.S.M.
%A Kenne, M.
%A Mony, R.
%A Dejean, A.
%A Tindo, M.
%J Comptes Rendus Biologies
%D 2011
%V 334
%N 7
%I Elsevier France-Editions Scientifiques Medicales Elsevier
%@ 1631-0691
%F Masse_etal2011
%O WOS:000293673300010
%O exported from refbase (http://php.ecofog.gf/refbase/show.php?record=332), last updated on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:34:49 -0300
%X We investigated in the laboratory the initial behavior of propagules of the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata in Cameroon where it has been introduced. Both workers and queens at first feigned death (thanatosis), and then the workers slowly moved around the experimental arena; the queens did the same about 10 seconds later. Each queen antennated selected workers that then aggregated together by grasping the hind leg of another ant with their mandibles. When encountering the queen again, the lead worker climbed up the queen's hind leg and onto her back, followed by some other individuals. The remaining workers followed the queen to a location in the experimental arena. When brood was present, the workers transferred it to this location. Orphaned workers did not aggregate, but gathered the brood together and took care of it. By permitting propagules to survive, these behaviors likely contribute to the success of W. auropunctata as an invader. (C) 2011 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
%K Aggregation
%K Death feigning
%K Thanatosis
%K Worker transportation
%K Biological invasion
%K Little fire ant
%P 572-576