Acromyrmex subterraneus

This species is parasitized by the inquiline.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru.

Biology
Pikart et al. (2015) found in aggression experiments that Acromyrmex subterraneus workers were very aggressive to non-nestmate Acromyrmex subterraneus and workers of Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans and Acromyrmex niger. Interactions with winged queens of the social parasite Acromyrmex ameliae produced a slightly less aggressive response.

Foraging
Nickele et al. (2015) studied this species in Paraná, Brazil, both in the field and lab, to elucidate details of their leaf transport. Some of their findings: In Acromyrmex subterraneus cutting and carrying of fragments were clearly separated activities performed by distinct worker groups differing in body size. Cutters were larger than carriers. In addition, the behavior of foragers of differed significantly according to variation in trail distances. On short trails (1 m), cutters frequently transported the fragments directly to the nest, whereas on long trails (more than 10 m), most cutters transferred the fragments to other workers. Transport chains (fragments found on the trail or directly received from nestmates are transported consecutively by different carriers) happened more frequently when workers harvested plants far from the nest. These results demonstrate that Acromyrmex species display both division of labor between cutters and carriers, and task partitioning during leaf transport, with trail lengths showing marked effects on the likelihood of sequential transport. Furthermore, the results of this study provide support for the hypothesis that the behavioral response of transferring fragments in Acromyrmex species would have been selected for because of its positive effect on the information flow between workers.

Fernandes et al. (2018) used A. subterraneus to experimentally examine differences in how myrmecochorous seeds are handled may influence germination.

Hymenoptera


Loiacono et al. (2013) found that Szelenyiopria talitae attacks mature larvae of A. subterraneus. All larvae parasitoidized belong to worker forms of the ants and were easily recognized by the dark coloration through the cuticle where the wasps were developing. Szelenyiopria talitae is predominantly a solitary parasitoid, but can be gregarious with two to 10 wasps per larva. Each larva contains wasps of one sex. The September nest was 100% parasitized (510 ant larvae) but the percentage of parasitoidism of the other nest could not be established. Inside the fungus chamber it was possible to see worker ants taking care of larvae attacked as if they were healthy larvae.

Nomenclature

 * . Atta (Acromyrmex) subterranea Forel, 1893e: 593 (s.w.q.) BRAZIL (no state data, “Brésil méridional”).
 * Forel, 1901d: 301 (m.).
 * Combination in Acromyrmex: Gallardo, 1916d: 329; Emery, 1924d: 350.
 * Subspecies of coronatus: Forel, 1901d: 301; Forel, 1911c: 291; Forel, 1911e: 257; Bruch, 1914: 216; Gallardo, 1916d: 329.
 * Status as species: Emery, 1905c: 48; Emery, 1906c: 165; Forel, 1906d: 248; Forel, 1908c: 351; Forel, 1909a: 257; Forel, 1912e: 181; Luederwaldt, 1918: 39; Santschi, 1919f: 51; Emery, 1924d: 350; Santschi, 1925a: 372; Borgmeier, 1927c: 135; Eidmann, 1936b: 83; Santschi, 1937f: 230 (redescription); Weber, 1938b: 204; Gonçalves, 1961: 163; Kempf, 1972a: 15; Cherrett & Cherrett, 1989: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 57; Wild, 2007b: 30; Bezděčková, et al. 2015: 114; Fernández, et al. 2015: 92 (redescription); Fernández & Serna, 2019: 834.
 * Senior synonym of brunnea: Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * Senior synonym of mixtus: Gonçalves, 1961: 164; Kempf, 1972a: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 57; Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * Senior synonym of ogloblini: Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * Senior synonym of peruvianus: Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * Senior synonym of purensis: Gonçalves, 1961: 164; Kempf, 1972a: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 57; Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus molestans.
 * brunnea. Atta (Acromyrmex) subterranea var. brunnea Forel, 1912e: 181.
 * [First available use of Atta (Acromyrmex) coronata subsp. subterranea var. brunnea Forel, 1911c: 291 (w.q.m.) BRAZIL (Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro, Ceará); unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * [Unresolved junior primary homonym of Atta brunnea Patton, 1894: 618 (Bolton, 1995b: 54).]
 * Combination in Acromyrmex: Luederwaldt, 1918: 39.
 * Subspecies of subterraneus: Luederwaldt, 1918: 39; Emery, 1924d: 350; Santschi, 1925a: 372; Borgmeier, 1927c: 135; Santschi, 1937f: 231 (in key); Santschi, 1939f: 166; Gonçalves, 1961: 167; Kempf, 1972a: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 54.
 * Junior synonym of subterraneus: Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * mixtus. Acromyrmex subterraneus var. mixtus Santschi, 1925a: 373 (w.) BRAZIL (Ceará).
 * Subspecies of subterraneus: Borgmeier, 1927c: 135; Eidmann, 1936b: 87; Santschi, 1937f: 232 (in key).
 * Junior synonym of subterraneus: Gonçalves, 1961: 164; Kempf, 1972a: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 56; Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * ogloblini. Acromyrmex subterraneus var. ogloblini Santschi, 1933e: 121 (w.) ARGENTINA (Misiones).
 * Subspecies of subterraneus: Santschi, 1937f: 231 (in key); Kempf, 1972a: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 56.
 * Junior synonym of subterraneus: Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * peruvianus. Acromyrmex (Acromyrmex) subterraneus var. peruvianus Borgmeier, 1940: 606 (w.m.) PERU.
 * Subspecies of subterraneus: Kempf, 1972a: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 56; Bezděčková, et al. 2015: 114.
 * Junior synonym of subterraneus: Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.
 * purensis. Atta (Acromyrmex) subterranea var. purensis Forel, 1912e: 181 (w.) BRAZIL (Amazonas).
 * Combination in Acromyrmex: Emery, 1924d: 350.
 * Subspecies of subterraneus: Emery, 1924d: 350; Santschi, 1925a: 395 (in key); Borgmeier, 1927c: 135; Santschi, 1937f: 231 (in key); Weber, 1938b: 204.
 * Junior synonym of subterraneus: Gonçalves, 1961: 164; Kempf, 1972a: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 56; Fernández, et al. 2015: 92.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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