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In the endeavour to understand the causes and consequences of the variation in animal personality, a wide range of studies were carried out, utilising various aspects to make sense of this biological phenomenon. One such aspect integrated the study of physiological traits, investigating hypothesised physiological correlates of personality. Although many of such studies were carried out on vertebrates (predominantly on birds and mammals), studies using arthropods (mainly insects) as model organisms were also at the forefront of this area of research. In order to review the current state of knowledge on the relationship between personality and the most frequently studied physiological parameters in arthropods, we searched for scientific articles that investigated this relationship. In our review, we only included papers utilising a repeated-measures methodology to be conceptually and formally concordant with the study of animal personality. Based on our literature survey, metabolic rate, thermal physiology, immunophysiology, and endocrine regulation, as well as exogenous agents (such as toxins) were often identified as significant affectors shaping animal personality in arthropods. We found only weak support for state-dependence of personality when the state is approximated by singular elements (or effectors) of condition. We conclude that a more comprehensive integration of physiological parameters with condition may be required for a better understanding of state’s importance in animal personality. Also, a notable knowledge gap persists in arthropods regarding the association between metabolic rate and hormonal regulation, and their combined effects on personality. We discuss the findings published on the physiological correlates of animal personality in arthropods with the aim to summarise current knowledge, putting it into the context of current theory on the origin of animal personality.

A hangyák (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) a fajszámuk, az egyedszámuk, a fejlett társas viselkedésük és az ökológiai hatásuk tekintetében egyaránt kiemelkedő jelentőségű rovarcsoport. Gyakoriságuk és társas szerveződésük okán a szakma és a laikus közönség tagjai gyakorta említik őket, akár nemzetség- vagy faji szinten. Ennek ellenére a hangyáknak a mai napig nem készült letisztult magyar névjegyzéke. A fajok, nemzetségek elnevezései gyakran esetlegesek voltak, még a hazánkban előforduló fajok jelentős része sem rendelkezett magyar névvel. Munkánk célja egy egységesen használható, korszerű, ugyanakkor a hagyományos neveket is a lehetőségekhez mérten – legalább valamely részletében – megtartó, szakmai és nyelvi szempontból egyaránt megfelelő névjegyzék elkészítése volt. A hazai hangyafajok tekintetében a jegyzékünk teljességre törekvő (126 faj). A külföldi fajok (238 faj) esetében tanulmányunk a magyar nyelvű tudományos és ismeretterjesztő közleményekben leginkább megjelenő, nevezetesebb, jellegzetesebb fajokat tartalmazza, továbbá a hobbihangyatartók által gyakrabban tartott fajok neveit is feltüntettük. Kitértünk néhány nevezetesebb fosszilis hangyafajra és -csoportra is (10 faj). A fajokon túl a magasabb rendszertani egységek – családsorozat (superfamilia), család (familia), alcsalád (subfamilia), tribusz (tribus), nemzetség (genus), és néhány helyen alnemzetség (subgenus) – esetében is tartalmazza az egyes csoportok tudományos neveit, és azok javasolt magyar megfelelőit. Munkánk során kísérletet tettünk minden hangyafaj és a hangyafélék családjába tartozó magasabb rendű rendszertani egység esetében a tudományos és az ismeretterjesztő közleményekben megjelent magyar szaknyelvi megnevezések minél teljesebb körű összegyűjtésére is, tanulmányunk egyúttal ezt a teljességre törekvő névgyűjteményt is tartalmazza.

Exploitation of organisms by multiple parasite species is common in nature, but interactions among parasites have rarely been studied. Myrmica ants are rich in parasites. Among others, the ectoparasitic Rickia wasmannii fungus and the socially parasitic caterpillars of myrmecophilous Phengaris butterflies often infect the same Myrmica colonies. In this study, we examined the effects of R. wasmannii on the adoption, long-term development, and survival of P. alcon. In laboratory conditions, caterpillars introduced into nests of Myrmica scabrinodis uninfected with R. wasmannii survived significantly longer compared to caterpillars introduced into infected nests. In the field, joint infection was less common than expected if both parasites exploited M. scabrinodis colonies independently. Pre-pupal caterpillars of P. alcon were somewhat larger in nests infected with R. wasmannii than those found in uninfected nests. Based on these results it seems that R. wasmannii infection of M. scabrinodis affects the survival and development of P. alcon caterpillars, suggesting competition between these two ant associates.

Simple Summary The red wood ants are considered to be one of the main ecosystem engineers and keystone species of the habitats in which they exist. Most of the species from this species group inhabit coniferous forests, which, due to the consequences of anthropogenic climate change, are continuously cut down. Therefore, the main habitat of these important species is rapidly disappearing. We investigated the consequences of the absence of conifers (clear-cut area and deciduous forest) on one of the members of this species group, namely Formica polyctena. We have found that compared with the mixed-coniferous forest stand, the absence of coniferous species resulted in significant changes in the colony and nest structure of F. polyctena. In addition, the colony size was also smaller in these sites. These changes suggest that although F. polyctena is able to survive in suboptimal habitats, still their population decline is expected and urges conservation managers to apply necessary action plans for their protection. Abstract The consequences of anthropogenic climate change are one of the major concerns of conservation biology. A cascade of negative effects is expected to affect various ecosystems, one of which is Central European coniferous forests and their unique biota. These coniferous forests are the primary habitat of many forest specialist species such as red wood ants. Climate change-induced rising of temperature allows trees to skip winter hibernation, making them more vulnerable to storms that cause wind felling, and in turn, promotes bark beetle infestations that results in unscheduled clear-cuttings. Red wood ants can also be exposed to such habitat changes. We investigated the effects of bark beetle-induced clear-cutting and the absence of coniferous trees on colonies of Formica polyctena, including a mixed-coniferous forest as a reference. Our aim was to investigate how these habitat features affect the nest characteristics and nesting habits of F. polyctena. Our results indicate that, in the absence of conifers, F. polyctena tend to use different alternatives for nest material, colony structure, and food sources. However, the vitality of F. polyctena colonies significantly decreased (smaller nest mound volumes). Our study highlights the ecological flexibility of this forest specialist and its potential to survive under extreme conditions.

Ant corpses, besides representing threat of infection by pathogens and parasites, can also be used during interspecific conflicts to inhibit the activity of the attacked colony, or they can be consumed as food. In the view of the former, the signal properties of corpses can be manifold. Besides discriminating nestmates and foes, the corpses of different ant species may act as cues for foragers, signaling the presence of other rival species, and triggering appropriate responses (e.g., alarm, retreat or foraging). In our study, we examined the responses of the facultative slave-maker Formica sanguinea and those of the obligate Polyergus rufescens towards corpses of nestmates, non-nestmate conspecifics, heterospecific slave-makers and their slaves, and corpses of non-enslaved host species under laboratory conditions. Both dulotic species responded differently to corpses of different origin. In F. sanguinea, the most intensive response was elicited by the corpses of P. rufescens and its slave, but also the corpses of non-nestmate conspecifics and their slaves elicited many adverse responses. In P. rufescens, the corpses of non-nestmate conspecifics and their slaves elicited the most adverse response. Both dulotic species distinguished corpses of their slaves from corpses of non-enslaved hosts. Based on our results, ant corpses are not meaningless objects scattered in the field, but cues carrying information that trigger different behavioral responses, and in F. sanguinea they can even represent an important food source.