Template:Overview/Cephalotes

Details about the biology of most Cephalotes species are not known. These ants are common in the New World tropics and subtropics. Cephalotes are especially abundant and diverse in the canopies of Neotropical forests and the majority of Cephalotes species are arboreal. Some species do live in other strata and inhabit smaller trees, bushes or grass stems. These species, due to their accessibility, are among the better studied members of the genus. There are also species that can be found in downed wood but it is likely the wood housed the colony before it fell to the ground. Soil nests are not known for any species nor do most species appear to extensively excavate plant tissue. They nest instead in preformed cavities. Overall, ants in the genus utilize a wide range of plants. Some species are predictable in their plant use but none appear to have evolved highly specialized mutualisms with particular plant species.

Worker castes typically include two forms, a worker and soldier, but there are a few species that are monomorphic. The larger soldier caste typically has an enlarged head disk. In some species the soldier head is very different from the worker while in others these differences are less pronounced. Queens and soldiers tend to share similar head morphology. The heads of soldiers are used to plug the nest entrance and can be very effective in excluding potential intruders. Other morphological differences between the worker castes are present but these have not been as well researched as head shape.

The behavioral repertoire of Cephalotes varians has been studied in great detail (ethograms from Wilson 1976, Cole 1980 and Cole 1983). Soldiers do little else besides defend the nest, by and this is presumed to be the norm for most species.

Mature nest size varies, by species, from less than a hundred to many thousands of workers. Available evidence suggests most species are monogynous and that queens mate with multiple males.

The proventriculus of the Cephalotes is peculiar relative to other ants. The morphology of the structure suggests it serves as a powerful pump and filter. This does not appear to lead these ants to have a highly specialized diet. Most species appear to be general scavengers. Workers of various species have been observed feeding on carrion, bird feces, extrafloral nectaries and even tending membracids. Pollen feeding has been observed in some species, and this is somewhat specialized for ants, but it is not evident that any species restricts its diet to this resource in any significant way. Evidence for pollen feeding in Cephalotes has accumulated, in part, via examination of digested pollen grains seen in infrabucal pellets. It has been suggested that the morphology of the proventriculus is a specialization for processing pollen.

More research examining all aspects of the biology of Cephalotes is needed. Our present understanding of these ants is largely based on species that live in locations other than the forest canopy, which is where Cephalotes are most common and diverse.