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Sequential ethograms along colony development ofOdontomachus affinis Guérin (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae)

Ethogrammes des comportements sociaux tout au long du développement de la fourmiOdontomachus affinls Guérin (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae)

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Summary

The present study was designed to investigate division of labor among nestmates in all phases of colony development ofOdontomachus affinis. Sequential ethograms were used, as a quantitative approach, to follow changes in the frequencies of behavioral categories along the ontogeny of the repertoire.

Special attention was given to the comparison between queen and workers catalogs in order to determine which behavioral categories are peculiar to each caste and to study the manners by which tasks are appartioned among individuals through colony maturity. Also a comparison with ethograms of other species of ants was made, based now on a definition of groups of functionally related behavioral categories.

Resume

Cette étude a été entreprise pour essayer de comprendre la division du travail entre les membres d'Odontomachus affinis pendant les différentes phases de dévelopement de la colonie.

Nous avons utilisé des éthogrammes séquentiels pour quantifier les changements de fréquences des différentes catégories de comportements au cours de l'ontogenèse du répertoire comportemental.

Nous avons mis l'accent sur la comparaison entre les répertoires des reines et des ouvrières pour déterminer les catégories de comportements propres à chaque caste et pour étudier les caractéristiques de la division du travail entre les individus tout au long du développement de la colonie.

Nous avons comparé nos données aux éthogrammes d'O. affinis et d'autres espèces de fourmis, après avoir défini des groupes de comportements apparentés du point de vue fonctionnel.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 7172, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

    Carlos Roberto Ferreira Brandao

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  1. Carlos Roberto Ferreira Brandao
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This paper is based on a dissertation accepted by the Departamento de Zoologia do Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master in Sciences. Part of this paper was presented at the International Symposium on Biosystematics of the Social Insects held by I.U.S.S.I. in Paris, January 2–5, 1980.

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Ferreira Brandao, C.R. Sequential ethograms along colony development ofOdontomachus affinis Guérin (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae). Ins. Soc 30, 193–203 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223869

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223869

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