Atta cephalotes

Wells et al. (2017) - Forms large colonies with millions of workers and nests that can cover more than 100 square meters (Weber 1982, Meyer et al. 2011). In secondary forests and at forest edges, they can reach very high densities and are often the dominant herbivore in the ecosystem (Farji-Brener and Illes 2000). While they are also present in primary forests, their colonies are most common in secondary or disturbed forests (Farji-Brener 2001). The large nests of Atta cephalotes have a strong effect on the leaf-litter arthropod community, adding to spatial heterogeneity within neotropical habitats.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Lesser Antilles, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.

Interactions with other organisms
Many organisms use chemicals to deter enemies. Some spiders can modify the composition of their silk to deter predators from climbing onto their webs. The Malaysian golden orb-weaver Nephila antipodiana (Walckenaer) produces silk containing an alkaloid (2-pyrrolidinone) that functions as a defense against ant invasion. Ants avoid silk containing this chemical. In the present study, we test the generality of ants' silk avoidance behavior in the field. We introduced three ant species to the orb webs of Nephila clavipes (Linnaeus) in the tropical rainforest of La Selva, Costa Rica. We found that predatory army ants (Eciton burchellii) as well as non-predatory leaf-cutting ants (Atta cephalotes and Acromyrmex volcanus) avoided adult N. clavipes silk, suggesting that an additional species within genus Nephila may possess ant-deterring silk. Our field assay also suggests that silk avoidance behavior is found in multiple ant species.

Genetics
Atta Cephalotes has had their entire genome sequenced.

Palomeque et al. (2015) found class II mariner elements, a form of transposable elements, in the genome of this ant.

Nomenclature

 *  cephalotes. Formica cephalotes Linnaeus, 1758: 581 (w.) SURINAM. Olivier, 1792: 500 (q.m.); Wheeler, G.C. 1949: 677 (l.). Combination in Atta: Fabricius, 1804: 421; in Oecodoma: Latreille, 1818: 224. Senior synonym of migratoria: Retzius, 1783: 76; of grossa: Latreille, 1802a: 224; of fervens: Smith, F. 1858b: 180; of visitatrix: Emery, 1892b: 162; of integrior, isthmicola, lutea, oaxaquensis, opaca, polita: Borgmeier, 1959b: 340.
 * migratoria. Formica migratoria De Geer, 1773: 604, pl. 31, figs. 11-13 (w.) SURINAM. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Retzius, 1783: 76.
 * fervens. Formica fervens Drury, 1782: 58, pl. 42, fig. 3 (q.) MEXICO. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Smith, F. 1858b: 180.
 * grossa. Formica grossa Fabricius, 1787: 309 (q.) SURINAM. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Latreille, 1802a: 224.
 * visitatrix. Formica visitatrix Christ, 1791: 517 (w.) SURINAM. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Emery, 1892b: 162.
 * lutea. Atta lutea Forel, 1893e: 587 (s.w.) BARBADOS. Subspecies of colombica: Forel, 1908c: 349. Revived status as species: Borgmeier, 1950d: 259. Subspecies of cephalotes: Weber, 1958a: 10. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Borgmeier, 1959b: 340.
 * integrior. Atta cephalotes var. integrior Forel, 1904c: 31 (w.) BRAZIL. Subspecies of cephalotes: Gonçalves, 1942: 346. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Borgmeier, 1959b: 340.
 * opaca. Atta cephalotes var. opaca Forel, 1904c: 31 (w.) COLOMBIA. Subspecies of cephalotes: Gonçalves, 1942: 345. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Borgmeier, 1959b: 340.
 * polita. Atta cephalotes subsp. polita Emery, 1905c: 54 (w.) BOLIVIA. Raised to species: Borgmeier, 1939: 423. Subspecies of vollenweideri: Borgmeier, 1950d: 243. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Borgmeier, 1959b: 340.
 * isthmicola. Atta cephalotes subsp. isthmicola Weber, 1941b: 127 (w.q.) PANAMA. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Borgmeier, 1959b: 340.
 * oaxaquensis. Atta (Atta) cephalotes subsp. oaxaquensis Gonçalves, 1942: 344 (w.) MEXICO. Junior synonym of cephalotes: Borgmeier, 1959b: 340.