Variação do modelo arquitetônico de Acromyrmex balzani (Emery, 1890): relação química e nível de tolerância intercolonial como pista para comportamento polidômico

Abstract

Nests of ants are of extreme importance for the maintenance of their society and the architecture of these nests can vary according to the conditions found in each environment. In addition, there are cases where a colony can occupy more than one physical space, structuring polidomic nests. In these cases, aggressiveness tests that are usually used to delimit boundaries between colonies may present complications, since this behavior can be influenced by a series of variables. In this study, we evaluated the architectural model of the ant Acromyrmex balzani (Emery, 1890), never before studied in the region, besides investigating the chemical relationship between colonies and whether the level of aggression can be a reliable parameter to determine if its colonies are structured in polydomic nests. After excavating, measuring and schematizing the nest structures, a 3D model was generated for better visualization of the whole nest. All the nests presented chimney and mounds of lose soil on the surface. The internal structure of the nests demonstrated intraspecific variation in the number of connecting tunnels between the chambers, never before reported for this specie. There were no agonistic behaviors in any of the intercolonial encounters, even between groups presenting a significant difference in their colonic chemical composition. In addition, chemically cohesive groups contained more than one colony in which the queen was present. Therefore, one should use the level of aggressiveness in cautiously induced encounters to evaluate whether this species organizes its colonies in polydomic nests.