Skip to main content
Log in

Sex ratio and nuptial flight pattern of the leaf-cutting antsAcromyrmex heyeri andA. striatus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Insectes Sociaux Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Data from 22Acromyrmex heyeri and 39A. striatus colonies showed that most were male-biased, while some were female-biased and a few had a sex ratio of 1∶1. The time and pattern of swarming were different in both species and could be seen as strategies to avoid inbreeding.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  • Cherix, D., D. Chautems, D. J. C. Fletcher, W. Fortelius, G. Gris, L. Keller, L. Passera, R. Rosengren, L. Vargo and F. Walter, 1991. Alternative reproductive strategies inFormica lugubris Zett. (Hymenoptera-Formicidae).Ethol. Eco. Evol., Special Issue1:61–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crozier, R. H. and R. E. Page, 1985. On being the right size: Male contributions and multiple mating in social Hymenoptera.Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 18:105–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, S. A., 1987. Variable sex ratio among colonies of ants.Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 20:195–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, W. D., 1972. Altruism and related phenomena, mainly in social insects.Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 3:193–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helms, K. R. and S. W. Rissing, 1990. Single sex alate production by colonies ofPheidole desertorum andPheidole xerophila tucsonica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Psyche 97:3–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woyciechowski, M., 1990. Nuptial flights in several ant species and their aerial aggregations (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).Acta Zool. Cracov. 33:555–564.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Diehl-Fleig, E. Sex ratio and nuptial flight pattern of the leaf-cutting antsAcromyrmex heyeri andA. striatus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Ins. Soc 40, 111–113 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01338837

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01338837

Key words

Navigation