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Cyphomyrmex Mayr, 1862 Cyphomyrmex hamulatus Weber, 1938. Oriximiná [CPDC; MZSP; Majer & Delabie, 1994]; Portel [Harada, 2016]; Tailândia [MPEG]. Cyphomyrmex laevigatus Weber, 1938. Municipality unavailable [Kempf, 1972c]; Almeirim [DZUP]; Belém [MZSP; Kempf, 1968a; Snelling & Longino, 1992; Albuquerque, 2014;]; Marituba [CPDC]; Melgaço [INPA; MPEG]; Moju [CPDC]; Nova Ipixuna [MPEG]; Novo Repartimento [CPDC]; Paragominas [CPDC; Solar et al., 2016b]; Parauapebas [MPEG]; Portel [MPEG; Harada, 2016]; Tailândia [MPEG]. Cyphomyrmex minutus Mayr, 1862. Almeirim [DZUP]; Conceição do Araguaia [MPEG]; Curionópolis [MPEG]; Marabá [DZUP]; Mojuí dos Campos [MZSP]; Paragominas [MPEG; Albuquerque, 2014]; Santarém [INPA; Vasconcelos et al., 2006]; Santarém Novo [INPA]. Cyphomyrmex peltatus Kempf, 1966. Água Azul do Norte [MPEG]; Belém [INPA]; Conceição do Araguaia [MPEG]; Curionópolis [MPEG]; Goianésia do Pará [CPDC]; Marituba [CPDC]; Melgaço [INPA; MPEG]; Moju [CPDC]; Novo Repartimento [CPDC]; Parauapebas [MPEG]. Cyphomyrmex rimosus (Spinola, 1851). Municipality unavailable [Weber, 1941; Weber, 1946; Kempf, 1972c; de Zolessi et al., 1989]; Belém [MPEG; MZSP; Kempf, 1972c; Zolessi et al., 1989]; Chaves [Wheeler, 1915]; Conceição do Araguaia [MPEG]; Paragominas [Solar et al., 2016b]; Parauapebas [MPEG; MZSP]; Portel [Harada, 2016]; Santa Bárbara do Pará [MPEG; Albuquerque, 2014]; Santarém [ANTWEB; INPA; Vasconcelos et al., 2006]; Santarém Novo [MPEG]; Tucuruí [MPEG; Albuquerque, 2014]. Cyphomyrmex transversus Emery, 1894. Municipality unavailable [Kempf, 1972c]; Marituba [CPDC]; Moju [CPDC]; Novo Repartimento [CPDC]; Óbidos [MZSP; Kempf, 1966]; Oriximiná [MZSP]; Paragominas [MPEG]; Santa Maria das Barreiras [USNM]; Santarém [SIBR]; Soure [MZSP]; Vigia [Kempf, 1966]., Published as part of DE ALBUQUERQUE, EMÍLIA ZOPPAS, PRADO, LÍVIA PIRES DO, ANDRADE-SILVA, JOUDELLYS, DE SIQUEIRA, EMELY LAIARA SILVA, DA SILVA SAMPAIO, KELLY LIANE, ALVES, DIEGO, BRANDÃO, CARLOS ROBERTO FERREIRA, ANDRADE, PALOMA L., FEITOSA, RODRIGO MACHADO, DE AZEVEDO KOCH, ELMO BORGES, DELABIE, JACQUES HUBERT CHARLES, FERNANDES, ITANNA, BACCARO, FABRÍCIO BEGGIATO, SOUZA, JORGE LUIZ PEREIRA, ALMEIDA, RONY PETERSON SANTOS & SILVA, ROGÉRIO R., 2021, Ants of the State of Pará, Brazil: a historical and comprehensive dataset of a key biodiversity hotspot in the Amazon Basin, pp. 1-83 in Zootaxa 5001 (1) on page 44, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5001.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5122523, {"references":["Majer, J. D. & Delabie, J. H. C. (1994) Comparison of the ant communities of annually inundated and terra firme forests at Trombetas in the Brazilian Amazon. Insectes Sociaux, 41, 343 - 359. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / BF 01240639","Harada, A. Y. (2016) State of art of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at Caxiuana, Melgaco, Para, Brazil. Advances in Entomology, 4, 115 - 132. https: // doi. org / 10.4236 / ae. 2016.43013","Kempf, W. W. (1972 c) Catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym., Formicidae). Studia Entomologica, 15 (1 - 4), 3 - 344. [in Portuguese]","Kempf, W. W. (1968 a) A new species of Cyphomyrmex from Colombia, with further remarks on the genus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Revista Brasileira de Biologia, 28, 35 - 41.","Snelling, R. R. & Longino, J. T. (1992) Revisionary notes on the fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex, rimosus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). In: Quintero, D. & Aiello, A. (Eds.), Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 479 - 494.","Albuquerque, E. Z. (2014) Revisao taxonomica e analise filogenetica do grupo Rimosus de Cyphomyrmex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Attini). Tese de Doutorado. Faculdade de Filosofia Ciencias e Letras de Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, 294 pp. [in Portuguese]","Vasconcelos, H. L., Vilhena, J. M. S., Magnusson, W. E. & Albernaz, A. L. (2006) Long-term effects of forest fragmentation on Amazonian ant communities. Journal of Biogeography, 33 (8), 1348 - 1356. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2699.2006.01516. x","Kempf, W. W. (1966) A revision of the Neotropical fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex Mayr. Part II: Group of rimosus (Spinola) (Hym., Formicidae). Studia Entomologica, 8, 161 - 200.","Weber, N. A. (1941) The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part VII. The Barro Colorado Island, Canal Zone, species. Revista de Entomologia, 12, 93 - 130.","Weber, N. A. (1946) The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part IX. The British Guiana species. Revista de Entomologia, 17, 114 - 172.","Zolessi, L. C., Abenante, Y. P. & Philippi, M. E. (1989) Catalogo sistematico de las especies de Formicidos del Uruguay (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Oficina Regional de Ciencia y Tecnologia de la Unesco para America Latina y el Caribe - ORCYT, Uruguay, Montevideo, 40 pp. [in Spanish]","Wheeler, W. M. (1915) Two new genera of myrmicine ants from Brazil. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 59, 483 - 491."]}

The ants of Saint Vincent have long been one of the most thoroughly documented ant faunas of any Caribbean island. Ant specimens collected more than 100 years ago on St. Vincent include 76 valid taxa. In ten days surveying ants on Saint Vincent, I found eleven species not found by previous researchers. Eight are widespread Neotropical species ( Anochetus inermis , Camponotus claviscapus, Cyphomyrmex minutus, Odontomachus ruginodis , Pheidole exigua , Pheidole moerens , Rogeria curvipubens , Solenopsis corticalis ) and three are Old World exotics ( Cardiocondyla minutior , Syllophopsis sechellensis , Trichomyrmex destructor ). Ant records from St. Vincent include more Neotropical species (72) and fewer Old World exotic species (15) than the neighboring Caribbean islands of similar size: Barbados and Grenada. Factors that may contribute to this pattern are that, compared to Barbados and Grenada, Saint Vincent has more mountainous terrain, more intact forest, lower human population density, and fewer international tourist visits.

To stop the antimicrobial resistance crisis, there is an urgent need for increased investment in antimicrobial research and development. Currently, many researchers are focussing on insects and their microbiota in the search for new antimicrobials. This review summarizes recent literature dedicated to the antimicrobial screening of insect symbionts and/or their metabolites to uncover their value in early drug discovery. We summarize the main steps in the methodology used to isolate and identify active insect symbionts and have noted substantial variation among these studies. There is a clear trend in isolating insect Streptomyces bacteria, but a broad range of other symbionts has been found to be active as well. The microbiota of many insect genera and orders remains untargeted so far, which leaves much room for future research. The antimicrobial screening of insect symbionts has led to the discovery of a diverse array of new active biomolecules, mainly peptides, and polyketides. Here, we discuss 15 of these symbiont-produced compounds and their antimicrobial profile. Cyphomycin, isolated from a Streptomyces symbiont of a Cyphomyrmex fungus-growing ant, seems to be the most promising insect symbiont-derived antimicrobial so far. Overall, insect microbiota appears to be a promising search area to discover new antimicrobial drug candidates. ispartof: Critical Reviews In Microbiology vol:47 issue:5 pages:562-579 ispartof: location:England status: Published online

Three antifungal macrolides cyphomycin (1), caniferolide C (2) and GT-35 (3) were isolated from Streptomyces sp. ISID311, a bacterial symbiont associated with Cyphomyrmex fungus-growing ants. The planar structures of these compounds were established by 1 and 2D NMR data and MS analysis. The relative configurations of 1–3 were established using Kishi's universal NMR database method, NOE/ROE analysis and coupling constants analysis assisted by comparisons with NMR data of related compounds. Detailed bioinformatic analysis of cyphomycin biosynthetic gene cluster confirmed the stereochemical assignments. Compounds 1–3 displayed high antagonism against different strains of Escovopsis sp., pathogen fungi specialized to the fungus-growing ant system. Compounds 1–3 also exhibited potent antiprotozoal activity against intracellular amastigotes of the human parasite Leishmania donovani with IC50 values of 2.32, 0.091 and 0.073 µM, respectively, with high selectivity indexes.

(20) Cyphomyrmex cornutus Kempf, 1968 Figure 5G, HMaterial examined. COLOMBIA: Chocó • 7 work- ers; Lloró; 05°30′00″N, 076°31′00″W; alt. 90 m; 25 Oct. 2000; J. Neita leg.; UNAB 545, MEFLG 6936. Identification. Cephalic and mesonotal protuberances horn-like; preocular carina curves above eye; frontal lobes broadly expanded, semicircular; pronotum without median paired denticles, humeral prominence weakly developed and postero-lateral tubercle more developed, antero-ventral corner rectangular; and mesonotum with anterior pair of very prominent spines and posterior pair of very low denticles (Kempf 1968). Distribution.Cyphomyrmex cornutus is widely distributed in Central and South America. It has been recorded from Veracruz state in Mexico, south to Costa Rica, Co- lombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, and the Brazilian states of Acre and Bahia. This ample and somewhat disjunct distribution suggests that C. cornutus might have a con- tinuous distribution throughout Central America and northern South America (Adams and Longino 2007; Mi- randa et al. 2012; Vergara-Navarro and Serna 2013; San- tos et al. 2017)., Published as part of Mera-Rodríguez, Daniela, Serna, Francisco, Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey, Lattke, John & Rabeling, Christian, 2020, A checklist of the non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Colombia, with new biogeographic records, pp. 1205-1227 in Check List 16 (5) on page 1215, DOI: 10.15560/16.5.1205, http://zenodo.org/record/4059086, {"references":["Kempf WW (1968) Anew species of Cyphomyrmex from Colombia, with further remarks on the genus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Revista Brasileira de Biologia 28 (1): 35 - 41. https: // doi. org / 10.15468 / EFWP 0 J","Adams RMM, Longino JT (2007) Nesting biology of the arboreal fun- gus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex cornutus and behavioral inter- actions with the social-parasitic ant Megalomyrmex mondabora. Insectes Sociaux 54: 136 - 143. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 00040 - 007 - 0922 - 0","Vergara-Navarro EV, Serna F (2013) Achecklist of the ants (Hyme- noptera: Formicidae) of the department of Antioquia, Colombia and new records for the country. Agronomia Colombiana 31 (3): 324 - 342."]}

(21) Cyphomyrmex costatus Mann, 1922 Figure 6A, BMaterial examined. COLOMBIA: Antioquia • 4 gynes; Amalfi; 06°59′01″N, 075°22′06″W; alt. 975 m; 30 Jul. 1997; F. Sernaleg.; MEFLG 40837; UNAB 553, 3461, 4749; Tolima • 2 workers; Guamo; 04°02′05″N, 074°58′25″W; alt. 323 m; 19 Aug. 2003; F. Serna, E. Díaz leg.; UNAB 4749, 3461. Identification. Disc of first gastral tergum with strong longitudinal ridges on each side of midline; mid-pronotal tubercles absent; and posterodorsal margin of petiole nei- ther drawn out nor bidentate (Kempf 1965). Distribution.Cyphomyrmex costatus is continuously distributed throughout Central andnorthern South America, from the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz in Mexico, to the states of Amazonas and Pará in Brazil (Harada and Ketelhut 2009; Bezděčková et al. 2015)., Published as part of Mera-Rodríguez, Daniela, Serna, Francisco, Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey, Lattke, John & Rabeling, Christian, 2020, A checklist of the non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Colombia, with new biogeographic records, pp. 1205-1227 in Check List 16 (5) on page 1215, DOI: 10.15560/16.5.1205, http://zenodo.org/record/4059086, {"references":["Kempf WW (1965) Arevision of the Neotropical fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex Mayr. Part II. Group of rimosus (Spinola) (Hym. Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 8: 161 - 200.","Harada AY, Ketelhut SM (2009) Formigas da Reserva Ducke: um grupo ainda pouco estudado. In: Fonseca CRV, Magalhaes C, Ra- fael JA, Franklin E (Eds) Afauna de artropodes da Reserva Flo- restal Ducke: estado atual do conhecimento taxonomico e biolo- gico. Editora INPA, Manaus, 231 - 248.","Bezdeckova K, Bezdecka P, Machar I (2015) Achecklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Peru. Zootaxa 4020 (1): 101 - 133. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4020.1.4"]}

(26) Cyphomyrmex rimosus (Spinola, 1851) Figure 7C, DMaterial examined. COLOMBIA: Amazonas • 1 worker; La Pedrera; 01°35′00″S, 069°28′00″W; alt. 87 m; 29 Apr.–7 May 2001; A. Sabogal leg.; UNAB 4755; Antioquia • 5 workers; Amalfi; 06°47′43″N, 075° 07′56″W; alt. 1550 m; 27 Oct. 1997; F. Sernaleg.; ME- FLG 5843; Caquetá • 4 workers; Florencia; 01°30′4″N, 075°39′42″W; alt. 280 m; Sep. 2017; D. Cubillosleg.; UNAB 4754; Caquetá • 1 worker; La Montanita; 01°28′25″N, 075°32′51″W; alt. 612 m; 27 Dec. 2015; D. Meneses leg.; UNAB 3900; Cundinamarca • 1 worker; Choachi; 04°31′52″N, 073°55′33″W; alt. 1927 m; 04 Nov. 2013; M. Forero leg.; UNAB 4754; Huila • 1 worker; El Pital; 02°20′53″N, 075°47′55″W; alt. 921 m; 02 Nov. 2009; D. Briceno leg.; UNAB 4754. Identification. Large individuals, head width more than 0.62 mm; hairs of gaster coarse, not fully appressed and mostly separated by less than their own lengths; and basal groove of gaster distinct and more than twice as long as wide (Snelling and Longino 1992). Distribution. Similar to C. minutus, C. rimosus is also widely distributed in the Americas, its distribution ex- tends from southern United States of America, throughout Central and South America to Argentina (Buenos Aires and Mendoza) (Kempf 1972; Fernández and Sen- doya 2004). Athorough taxonomic study needs to test whether C. rimosus is a single biological species, or whether it is a complex of cryptic species., Published as part of Mera-Rodríguez, Daniela, Serna, Francisco, Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey, Lattke, John & Rabeling, Christian, 2020, A checklist of the non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Colombia, with new biogeographic records, pp. 1205-1227 in Check List 16 (5) on page 1217, DOI: 10.15560/16.5.1205, http://zenodo.org/record/4059086, {"references":["Snelling RR, Longino JT (1992) Revisionary notes on the fungusgrowing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex, rimosus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). In: Quintero D, Aiello A (Eds) Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 479 - 494.","Kempf WW (1972) Catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotro- pical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 15: 1 - 344."]}

(19) Cyphomyrmex castagnei Mackay & Baena, 1993 Material examined. COLOMBIA: Nariño • 1 worker; Ricaurte; 01°13′35″N, 078°03′04″W; alt. 920 m; 21 Sep. 2015; J. Cancino leg.; UNAB 4748. Identification. Mandible with five teeth; lateral cor- ner of cephalic vertex with long horn-like extensions; mesosoma with a large, spine-like posterior pronotal tubercle and a large anterior mesonotal tubercle; mesonotal protuberances spine like; and mesosoma with squamate hairs (Mackay and Baena 1993). Distribution.Cyphomyrmex castagnei is only known from Panama and the Pacific coast of Colombia (Fig. 1B) (MacKay and Baena 1993; Fernández et al. 1996; Fernández and Sendoya 2004)., Published as part of Mera-Rodríguez, Daniela, Serna, Francisco, Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey, Lattke, John & Rabeling, Christian, 2020, A checklist of the non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Colombia, with new biogeographic records, pp. 1205-1227 in Check List 16 (5) on pages 1213-1214, DOI: 10.15560/16.5.1205, http://zenodo.org/record/4059086, {"references":["Mackay W, Baena ML (1993) Anew \" Horned \" Fungus Growing Ant, Cyphomyrmex castagnei, from Colombia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 23 (1): 31 - 37.","Fernandez F, Baena ML, Palacio EE (1996) Hormigas de Colombia V: el genero Stenamma Westwood. Tacaya 5: 9 - 10.","Fernandez F, Sendoya S (2004) Synonymic list of Neotropical ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Biota Colombiana 5 (1): 3 - 105."]}

(24) Cyphomyrmex major (Forel, 1901) Figure 6G, HMaterial examined. COLOMBIA: Antioquia • 3 gynes, 4 workers; Turbo; 08°05′53″N, 076°43′54″W; alt. 1 m; 15 Sep. 2004; O. Munar leg.; UNAB 2353; Santander • 4 gynes, 4 workers; Santa Helena del Opon; 06°20′00″N, 073°36′00″W; alt. 1426 m; Apr. 2012; A. Ardila leg.; UNAB 2526. Identification. Mid-pronotal tubercle paired; cephalic posterolateral corner produced as broad lobe, not spinelike; frontal carina extending onto top lobe joining pos- terior carina; and anterior mesonotal tubercle high and obtuse (Snelling and Longino 1992). Distribution.Cyphomyrmex major is known from Boli- via, Brazil (Amazonas, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, and São Paulo), Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela (Kempf 1972; Santos et al. 2017; Fernán- dez and Serna 2019)., Published as part of Mera-Rodríguez, Daniela, Serna, Francisco, Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey, Lattke, John & Rabeling, Christian, 2020, A checklist of the non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Colombia, with new biogeographic records, pp. 1205-1227 in Check List 16 (5) on page 1215, DOI: 10.15560/16.5.1205, http://zenodo.org/record/4059086, {"references":["Snelling RR, Longino JT (1992) Revisionary notes on the fungusgrowing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex, rimosus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). In: Quintero D, Aiello A (Eds) Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 479 - 494.","Kempf WW (1972) Catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotro- pical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 15: 1 - 344.","Santos Rde J, Koch EBA, Leite CMP, Porto TJ, Delabie JHC (2017) An assessment of leaf-litter and epigaeic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) living in different landscapes of the Atlantic Forest Bi- ome in the State of Bahia, Brazil. Journal of Insect Biodiversity 5 (19): 1 - 19. https: // doi. org / 10.12976 / jib / 2017.5.19","Serna F, Mera-Rodriguez LD, Ramirez-Ossa K, Gaigl A (2019) Hor- migas de mayor impacto en la agricultura colombiana. In: Fer- nandez F, Guerrero RJ, Delsinne T (Eds) Hormigas de Colombia. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, 1115 - 1149."]}

(23) Cyphomyrmex laevigatus Weber, 1938 Figure 6E, FMaterial examined. COLOMBIA: Caquetá • 1 worker; Florencia; 01°30′9.99″N, 075°36′22″W; alt. 250 m; 28 Sep. 2016; UNAB members leg.; UNAB 4367. Identification. Mesosoma completely unarmed, propodeum in profile evenly rounded; and petiolar node in dor- sal view strikingly transverse, thrice as broad as long (Kempf 1965). Distribution.Cyphomyrmex laevigatus is widely distributed in northern South America, including Bolivia, north- ern Brazil (Amazonas, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pará, and Rondônia), Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perú and Ven- ezuela (Mayhé-Nuñes and Jaffé 1998; Souza et al. 2018)., Published as part of Mera-Rodríguez, Daniela, Serna, Francisco, Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey, Lattke, John & Rabeling, Christian, 2020, A checklist of the non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Colombia, with new biogeographic records, pp. 1205-1227 in Check List 16 (5) on page 1215, DOI: 10.15560/16.5.1205, http://zenodo.org/record/4059086, {"references":["Weber NA (1938) The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part IV. Additional new forms. Part V. The Attini of Bolivia. Revista de Entomologia 9 (1 - 2): 154 - 206.","Kempf WW (1965) Arevision of the Neotropical fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex Mayr. Part II. Group of rimosus (Spinola) (Hym. Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 8: 161 - 200.","Mayhe-Nunes A, Jaffe K (1998) On the biogeography of Attini (Hyme- noptera: Formicidae). Ecotropicos 11 (1): 45 - 54.","Souza JLP, Baccaro FB, Pequeno PACL, Franklin E, Magnusson WE (2018) Effectiveness of genera as a higher-taxon substitute for spe- cies in ant biodiversity analyses is not affected by sampling tech- nique. Biodiversity and Conservation 27 (13): 3425 - 3445. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 10531 - 018 - 1607 - x"]}

(22) Cyphomyrmex hamulatus Weber, 1938 Figure 6C, DMaterial examined. COLOMBIA: Antioquia • 12 workers; Amalfi; 06°54′11″N, 075°05′26.7″W; alt. 1010 m; 19 Dec. 1999; F. Sernaleg.; UNAB 4750; Antioquia • 1 worker; Amalfi; 06°46′31″N, 075°05′33″W; alt. 1010 m; Jul–Oct. 1997; F. Sernaleg.; UNAB 4750; Antioquia • 2 workers; Amalfi; 06°45′57.6″N, 075°06′25.02″W; alt. 955 m; Sep. 2006; M. A. Vanegas leg.; MEFLG 11080; Antioquia • 1 worker; Amalfi; 06°47′57.82″N, 075°07′18.96″W; alt. 1077 m; Nov. 2006; M. A. Vanegas leg.; MEFLG 11081; Antioquia • 5 gynes, 11 workers; Amalfi; 06°47′43″N, 075°07′56″W; alt. 1550 m; 27 Oct. 1997; F. Sernaleg.; MEFLG 5843; Antioquia • 10 workers; Amalfi; 06°46′19.2″N, 075°05′26.44″W; alt. 1550 m; 30 Jul. 1997; F. Sernaleg.; MEFLG 5843; Caquetá • 1 worker; El Doncello; 01°40′48″N, 075°17′06″W; alt. 500 m; 16 Nov. 2013; F. Sernaleg.; UNAB 4368; Caquetá • 3 workers; Florencia; 01°25′34.7″N, 075°30′59″W; alt. 267 m; Sep. 2017; D. Mera-Rodríguez leg.; UNAB 4750; Caquetá • 2 workers; Florencia; 01°30′9.99″N, 075°36′23″W; alt. 250 m; 28 Sep. 2016; UNAB mem- bers leg.; UNAB 4369; Sucre • 2 workers; Ovejas; 09°32′4.1′00″N, 075°13′18.5″W; alt. 277 m; 4 Feb. 2016; H. Cadena leg.; MEFLG 40890 – 408901. Identification. Frontal carina quite sinuous; all carina very sharp and somewhat foliaceous; promesonotal tu- bercles acutely pointed; hind femur angulates at basal third, posteroventral border with a narrow foliaceous crest; postpetiole with a shallow mid-dorsal impression, hairs on head and gaster recurvate or hook-like, not ap- pressed; and tubercles on mesosoma sharply pointed (Kempf 1965). Distribution.Cyphomyrmex hamulatus is distributed throughout Bolivia, Brazil (Amazonas and Pará), Co- lombia, Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela (Brandão 1991; Snelling and Longino 1992; Fernández and Sendoya 2004)., Published as part of Mera-Rodríguez, Daniela, Serna, Francisco, Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey, Lattke, John & Rabeling, Christian, 2020, A checklist of the non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Colombia, with new biogeographic records, pp. 1205-1227 in Check List 16 (5) on page 1215, DOI: 10.15560/16.5.1205, http://zenodo.org/record/4059086, {"references":["Weber NA (1938) The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part IV. Additional new forms. Part V. The Attini of Bolivia. Revista de Entomologia 9 (1 - 2): 154 - 206.","Kempf WW (1965) Arevision of the Neotropical fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex Mayr. Part II. Group of rimosus (Spinola) (Hym. Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 8: 161 - 200.","Brandao CRF (1991) Adendos ao catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 35 (2): 319 - 412. https: // doi. org / 10.5281 / zenodo. 24565","Snelling RR, Longino JT (1992) Revisionary notes on the fungusgrowing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex, rimosus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). In: Quintero D, Aiello A (Eds) Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 479 - 494.","Fernandez F, Sendoya S (2004) Synonymic list of Neotropical ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Biota Colombiana 5 (1): 3 - 105."]}

Ants communicate using a suite of chemicals with a level of sophistication that is inextricably linked to their ecological dominance. The fungus-growing ants have been the focus of chemical ecology studies for decades, especially the leaf-cutting ants. Some create long, conspicuous foraging trails to harvest fresh vegetation used to sustain large farming systems that feed millions of workers. However, of the ca. 250 fungus-growing ant species, most feed detritus rather than fresh material to their gardens, and colony sizes are tens to hundreds of workers. Colonies within the attine genus Cyphomyrmex use distinct methods of agriculture (i.e., yeast and lower fungus agriculture). We compared compounds found in five species from the yeast-growing Cyphomyrmex rimosus group (C. rimosus and C. salvini) and the lower agriculture Cyphomyrmex wheeleri group (C. costatus, C. longiscapus, C. muelleri). Compounds identified were compared with those reported in the literature and mapped onto the attine-ant phylogeny, and glands of origin suggested. There were 10 compounds across five species and two are known alarm compounds, 1-octen-3-o1 and 3-octanol. Of the six farnesenes detected, the most notable was the diversity of gaster-derived compounds in C. salvini and the high abundance of (3Z, 6E)-α-7-ethylhomofarnesene and α-6-bishomofarnesene in the three C. wheeleri group species. We also found 2,5-dimethyl-3-isoamylpyrazine in the heads of yeast-growing species, an unexpected result because pyrazines are known trail substances in other attines. Our results expand our understanding of semiochemicals found in fungus-growing ants and provides a starting point to generate hypotheses for more extensive comparative studies.

Bacterial strains isolated from attine ants showed activity against the insect specialized fungal pathogen Escovopsis and also against the human protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani. The bioassay guided fractionation of extracts from cultures of Streptomyces sp. ICBG292, isolated from the exoskeleton of Cyphomyrmex workers, led to the isolation of Mer-A2026B (1), piericidin-A1 (2) and nigericin (3). Nigericin (3) presented high activity against intracellular amastigotes of L. donovani (IC50 0.129 ± 0.008 μM). Streptomyces puniceus ICBG378, isolated from workers of Acromyrmex rugosus rugosus, produced dinactin (4) with potent anti-L. donovani activity against intracellular amastigotes (IC50 0.018 ± 0.003 μM). Compounds 3 and 4 showed good selectivity indexes, 88.91 and 656.11 respectively, and were more active than positive control, miltefosine. Compounds 1–4 were also active against some Escovopsis strains. Compounds 1 and 2 were also produced by Streptomyces sp. ICBG233, isolated from workers of Atta sexdens, and detected in ants’ extracts by mass spectrometry, suggesting they are produced in the natural environment as defensive compounds involved in the symbiotic interaction., Author summary Visceral leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania infantum and L. donovani, is characterized by high rate mortality worldwide. Current treatments for this disease suffer from toxicity, variable efficacy, requirements for parenteral administration and length of treatment regimens. New chemical entities and development of new drugs are important to overcome the impact of this protozoan disease. Actinobacterial strains, such as Streptomyces, have been a source of most naturally derived antibiotics, as well as anticancer, anthelmintic, and antifungal drugs. These microorganisms also produce small molecules important in symbiotic interactions with insects, such as fungus-growing ants, fungus-growing termites, beetles and wasps against pathogens. Several novel compounds have been reported from these microorganisms with promising biological activities. In this work we show an interesting ecologic approach for drug discovery that also shows promise for the identification of antileishmanial natural products from fungus-growing ant ecosystem. Two compounds isolated from Streptomyces strains showed potent activity against L. donovani, higher than the positive control (miltefosine) with high selectivity indexes.

This paper presents an updated list of soil ants of the Colombian Amazon collected in three different river basins: the Amazon, the Caquetá and the Putumayo. The list includes 10 subfamilies, 60 genera and 218 species collected from TSBF monoliths at four different depths (Litter, 0 - 10 cm, 10 - 20 cm and 20 - 30 cm). This updated list increases considerably the knowledge of edaphic macrofauna of the region, due to the limited published information about soil ant diversity in the Colombian Amazon region.This is the first checklist of soil ant diversity of the Colombian Amazon region. Six new records of species for Colombia are exposed:Acropygatricuspis(LaPolla, 2004),Typhlomyrmexclavicornis(Emery, 1906),Typhlomyrmexmeire(Lacau, Villemant & Delabie, 2004),Cyphomyrmexbicornis(Forel, 1895),Megalomyrmexemeryi(Forel, 1904) andMyrmicocryptaspinosa(Weber, 1937), most of them corresponding to subterranean ants.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509818468O presente trabalho objetivou registrar a ocorrência de novas espécies de formigas para o estado do Rio Grande do Sul e, com isso, contribuir para o conhecimento sobre a mirmecofauna. As coletas foram realizadas em quatro ambientes (floresta nativa, plantio de eucalipto, plantio agrícola e pastagem exótica). Para a coleta das formigas, foi utilizado o método do extrator de mini-Winkler, cujo processo consistiu em retirar 1m² de serapilheira, peneirá-la e acondicioná-la em extratores de mini-Winkler para a obtenção da fauna. Foram coletadas 108 espécies, representantes de 31 gêneros, 18 tribos e oito subfamílias. Destas, a floresta nativa, apresentou 90 espécies coletadas, seguida pelo plantio de eucalipto, com 65 espécies, pelo plantio agrícola e pela pastagem exótica, com 20 espécies cada. Neste trabalho, é feito o primeiro registro de ocorrência de Dorymyrmex thoracicus (Dolichoderinae), Camponotus arboreus, Camponotus melanoticus (Formicinae), Apterostigma madidiense, Apterostigma sp. complexo pilosum, Cyphomyrmex major, Cyphomyrmex vorticis, Wasmannia rochai, Cephalotes pusillus, Strumigenys (Pyramica) rugithorax, Strumigenys cosmotela, Strumigenys silvestrii, Pheidole aper, Pheidole heyeri, Pheidole rugatula, Pheidole siggilata, Pheidole senilis, Pheidole sospes, Megalomyrmex pusillus (Myrmicinae) e Pachycondyla ferruginea (Ponerinae) para o Rio Grande do Sul.

Cyphomyrmex rimosus (Spinola, 1851) 3 ☿, 1 ♀ St. Vincent [São Vicente, Brasil] [of the ♀ only head and mesosoma are left]., Published as part of Christoph Germann, 2017, On the Auguste Forel ant collection in the Naturmuseum Solothurn, Switzerland: current state and illustrated type catalogue (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), pp. 241-254 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 124 (2) on page 242, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.893513

Molecular methods have substantially advanced our knowledge about ant systematics in the past few years. Here, we infer the molecular phylogeny of sand dune ants of the genus Mycetophylax, Emery 1913 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) using 730 base pairs of DNA sequences of the two nuclear genes longwave rhodopsin and wingless. Our analyses indicate that Mycetophylax is monophyletic, as suggested by its morphological characters. M. morschi, previously considered a species of Cyphomyrmex due to a scrobe-like impressed area on the head, forms a well-supported cluster with the two other species of Mycetophylax, M. conformis and M. simplex. Our analysis yields the first comprehensive phylogeny of Mycetophylax based on molecular data and includes specimens from localities within a wide distributional range as well as all species belonging to the genus following the recent taxonomic revision.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T17:31:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-05-10 National Science Foundation (NSF) National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) Small Grants program Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Studies Program NMNH Peter Buck Predoctoral Fellowships Max and Vera Britton Environmental Science Awards (Cosmos Club Foundation) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) We report the rediscovery of the exceedingly rarely collected and enigmatic fungus-farming ant species Mycetosoritis asper. Since the description of the type specimen in 1887, only four additional specimens are known to have been added to the world's insect collections. Its biology is entirely unknown and its phylogenetic position within the fungus-farming ants has remained puzzling due to its aberrant morphology. In 2014 we excavated and collected twenty-one colonies of M. asper in the Floresta Nacional de Chapeco A in Santa Catarina, Brazil. We describe here for the first time the male and larva of the species and complement the previous descriptions of both the queen and the worker. We describe, also for the first time, M. asper biology, nest architecture, and colony demographics, and identify its fungal cultivar. Molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that both M. asper and M. clorindae are members of the genus Cyphomyrmex, which we show to be paraphyletic as currently defined. More precisely, M. asper is a member of the Cyphomyrmex strigatus group, which we also show to be paraphyletic with respect to the genus Mycetophylax. Based on these results, and in the interest of taxonomic stability, we transfer the species M. asper, M. clorindae, and all members of the C. strigatus group to the genus Mycetophylax, the oldest available name for this clade. Based on ITS sequence data, Mycetophylax asper practices lower agriculture, cultivating a fungal species that belongs to lower-attine fungal Clade 2, subclade F. Univ Rochester, Dept Biol, Rochester, NY 14627 USA Smithsonian Inst, Natl Museum Nat Hist, Dept Entomol, Washington, DC 20560 USA Univ Maryland, Dept Entomol, College Pk, MD 20742 USA Univ Fed Uberlandia, Inst Biol, Uberlandia, MG, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Ctr Estudos Insetos Sociais, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Ctr Estudos Insetos Sociais, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil National Science Foundation (NSF): DEB-1456964 National Science Foundation (NSF): DEB-0949689 FAPESP: 2011/50226-0 CNPq: 311562/2012-4 CNPq: 487639/2012-0 CNPq: 302588/2015-9

Fungus-growing ants (Formicidae: Attini) comprise a diverse and ecologically important group in Neotropical habitats. Compared with leaf-cutters, however, relatively little is known about the biology of less conspicuous attine species. Here, we compare nest size and structure, colony size and demographic composition, and worker size and polymorphism among the genera Cyphomyrmex, Mycetarotes, Mycocepurus, Myrmicocrypta, Sericomyrmex, and Trachymyrmex. In total, 25 ant colonies (one species per genus) were investigated at one site in the Brazilian savanna. Results indicate a consistent variation in nest size and structural complexity (architecture), colony and worker size, and a tendency to polymorphism among the studied genera. In addition, nest mound volume was found to be a good predictor of both worker number and volume of the fungus garden. Based on morphometric analyses, Sericomyrmex and Trachymyrmex together formed a distinct group from the other genera. The transition from the ancestral agricultural system toward the derived leaf-cutting habit also is followed by remarkable changes in nest size and architecture, colony size, and worker size and polymorphism. Our results support other recent studies that consider Sericomyrmex and Trachymyrmex as possessing transitional habits, distinct both from species that cultivate fungus by using mostly nonplant items (insect feces and corpses) as well as from typical leaf-cutters Atta and Acromyrmex. This is the first study to detect correlations of nest traits with worker number and size of fungus garden in the less conspicuous attines. Results highlight the importance of combining data on natural history and morphometry to understand the evolutionary history of fungus-growing ants.

Based on the morphology of workers, gynes and males, we revise the taxonomy of nominal taxa traditionally included by authors in the fungus-growing ant genus Mycetophylax. Our results indicate that Mycetophylax Emery (Myrmicocrypta brittoni Wheeler, 1907, type species, by designation of Emery, 1913; junior synonym of Cyphomyrmex conformis Mayr, 1884 by Kempf, 1962) includes M. conformis, M. simplex (Emery, 1888), and M. morschi (Emery, 1888) new combination (formerly in Cyphomyrmex), with several synonymies. Mycetophylax bruchi (Santschi, 1916) does not belong to the same genus and is diagnosed, in addition to other characters, by a psammophore arising at the anterior margin of the clypeus. For this species we are resurrecting from synonymy Paramycetophylax Kusnezov, 1956 (Mycetophylax bruchi as type species, by original designation, with M. cristulatus as its new synonym). Myrmicocrypta emeryi Forel, 1907 is the only attine in which females lack the median clypeal seta and have the antennal insertion areas very much enlarged and anteriorly produced, with the psammophore setae arising from the middle of the clypeus and not at its anterior margin as in Paramycetophylax. Notwithstanding its inclusion in Mycetophylax by recent authors, it is here recognized as belonging to a hitherto undescribed, thus far monotypic genus, Kalathomyrmex new genus (Myrmicocrypta emeryi as its type species, here designated). We redescribe workers, gynes and males of all species in the

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T20:46:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-11-05 The morphology of the eggs and larvae of the ant Cyphomyrmex transversus Emery is here described and discussed for the first time. Some morphological characteristics of the symbiotic fungus that covers the eggs, larvae, and pupae are also examined. Copyright © 2008 Magnolia Press. Centro de Estudos Dos Insetos Sociais IB-UNESP, av. 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, 13506900, São Paulo UPA Laboratório de Mirmecologia Convênio UESC/CEPLAC, km 26 rod. Ilhéus-Itabuna, 45600-000 Itabuna, Bahia Laboratório de Biossistemática Animal Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia Campus Juvino Oliveira, BR 415, Km 03, s/no, 45700-000 Itapetinga, Bahia UMR5202 MNHN-CNRS CP50 Entomologie Département Systématique and Evolution Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 45 rue Buffon, F-75005 Paris Centro de Estudos Dos Insetos Sociais IB-UNESP, av. 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, 13506900, São Paulo

We describe the first observation of parabiosis between two Attini ants (Apterostigma urichii Forel and Cyphomyrmex faunulus Wheeler) found in northern Manaus, AM, Brazil. Complete, mature colonies of both species were found in a single cavity inside a rotten log, sharing and tending a single combined fungus garden, made up of two distinct halves, each cultivated by one species. Workers of one species often antennated workers of the other species and showed no aggression toward each other or toward each other’s workers, queens, or immatures. Laboratory observations suggest that immatures of both species feed on hyphae from either half of the fungus garden. We were not able to find other parabiotic pairs involving the same species in the same locality, although we found colonies of both species sharing trails and foraging territories.

Fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: tribe Attini) engage in mutually beneficial symbioses with fungi (Basidiomycota) that serve as their main food source. The leaf-cutters (genera Acromyrmex Mayr and Atta Fabricius), the most derived attine ants, employ elaborate nest-hygiene behaviours, including substrate preparation. By preparing substrate prior to its incorporation into the fungus garden, workers facilitate the physical breakdown of leaf material while reducing the abundance of potentially harmful microbes that contact their fungal mutualist. Despite its importance in ant fungiculture, substrate preparation has not been investigated in other genera of fungus-growing ants. We examined substrate-preparation procedures used by five genera of fungus-growing ants (Apterostigma Mayr, Cyphomyrmex Mayr, Trachymyrmex Forel, Acromyrmex, and Atta) representing most of the phylogenetic range of the Attini. Behavioural observations revealed that all five genera engage in substrate-preparation behaviours. Furthermore, these behaviours vary by genus, with Trachymyrmex, Acromyrmex, and Atta engaging in more elaborate preparation behaviours than the other genera. Additionally, we found that during substrate preparation, leaf-cutting ants inoculate leaf fragments with actinomycetous bacteria. These filamentous bacteria are known to produce antibiotics that suppress fungal pathogens, which suggests that inoculation with the bacterial mutualist during substrate preparation helps protect the fungus gardens of leaf-cutter ants from these parasites. Our finding that substrate-preparation behaviours occur across the phylogenetic range of attine ants suggests that these behaviours are a critical component of successful fungiculture by ants.

The species Mycetophylax conformis, M. simplex and Cyphomyrmex morschi, all belonging to the basal Attini, occur exclusively on beaches along the Atlantic shores of South America. In Brazil C. morschi colonies were found sympatrically with the two Mycetophylax species which, however, had no overlap in their geographic distribution. We recorded species‐specific nesting site preferences resulting in a zonal colonization of dune and restinga areas, with distinct preferences in microhabitat choice. After excavating subterraneous nests, we were able to describe details of nest architecture, especially with regard to the number and position of the fungus chambers. The nest structure is similar in all species, but the colony size differed with the highest number of workers in M. simplex. All nests were headed by a single mated queen. First attempts were undertaken to maintain colonies under laboratory conditions. Resumo As especies Mycetophylax conformis, M. simplex e Cyphomyrmex morschi fazem parte do grupo dos...

We describe the extraordinary nesting habits of the fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex cornutus (Formicidae, Myrmicinae, Attini) and the natural history of Megalomyrmex mondabora (Formicidae, Myrmicinae, Solenopsidini), a social parasite that inhabits nests of C. cornutus and other small attine ants. The study was carried out at two sites on the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica. The C. cornutus nest is an oblong mass of accreted soil, attached to or suspended from low vegetation in wet forest understory. Less than a fourth of the nest volume has chambers and is inhabited by C. cornutus; the remainder is a semi-solid mass of accreted soil often housing a variety of arthropods, including other unspecialized commensal ant species. Five C. cornutus colonies examined were parasitized by M. mondabora. Colonies of M. mondabora inhabited chambers very near those of the host. In laboratory observations, M. mondabora and C. cornutus workers interacted with little aggression despite the consumption of C. cornutus larvae and fungi by M. mondabora. During most interactions, C. cornutus workers responded submissively, whereas M. mondabora appeared indifferent or nonresponsive. Megalomyrmex mondabora parasitizes several other attine species (Cyphomyrmex costatus, Cyphomyrmex salvini, and Apterostigma goniodes), and it appears therefore a relatively unspecialized social parasite with broad attine hostassociation. The size of M. mondabora workers vary with host species, suggesting M. mondabora sensu lato comprises either cryptic species or the host environment affects worker size.

The little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata is able to develop highly dominant populations in disturbed areas of its native range, with a resulting negative impact on ant diversity. We report here on the tolerance of such populations towards several fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex (rimosus complex) in French Guiana. This tolerance is surprising given the usually high interspecific aggressiveness of W. auropunctata when dominant. In order to understand the mechanisms behind such proximity, aggressiveness tests were performed between workers of the different species. These behavioural assays revealed a great passivity in Cyphomyrmex workers during confrontations with W. auropunctata workers. We also found that the aggressiveness between W. auropunctata and two Cyphomyrmex species was more intense between distant nests than between adjacent ones. This dear-enemy phenomenon may result from a process of habituation contributing to the ants' ability to coexist over the long term.

Bacterial symbionts are important fitness determinants of insects. Some hosts have independently acquired taxonomically related microbes to meet similar challenges, but whether distantly related hosts that live in tight symbiosis can maintain similar microbial communities has not been investigated. Varying degrees of nest sharing between Megalomyrmex social parasites (Solenopsidini) and their fungus‐growing ant hosts (Attini) from the genera Cyphomyrmex, Trachymyrmex and Sericomyrmex allowed us to address this question, as both ant lineages rely on the same fungal diet, interact in varying intensities and are distantly related. We used tag‐encoded FLX 454 pyrosequencing and diagnostic PCR to map bacterial symbiont diversity across the Megalomyrmex phylogenetic tree, which also contains free‐living generalist predators. We show that social parasites and hosts share a subset of bacterial symbionts, primarily consisting of Entomoplasmatales, Bartonellaceae, Acinetobacter, Wolbachia and Pseudonocardia and that Entomoplasmatales and Bartonellaceae can co‐infect specifically associated combinations of hosts and social parasites with identical 16S rRNA genotypes. We reconstructed in more detail the population‐level infection dynamics for Entomoplasmatales and Bartonellaceae in Megalomyrmex symmetochus guest ants and their Sericomyrmex amabilis hosts. We further assessed the stability of the bacterial communities through a diet manipulation experiment and evaluated possible transmission modes in shared nests such as consumption of the same fungus garden food, eating of host brood by social parasites, trophallaxis and grooming interactions between the ants, or parallel acquisition from the same nest environment. Our results imply that cohabiting ant social parasites and hosts may obtain functional benefits from bacterial symbiont transfer even when they are not closely related.

The insect's spermatheca store the spermatozoa from the time of copulation until the fertilization of the eggs and consists of a sac, usually associated to glands. The ant species Atta laevigata, Atta sexdens sexdens, Atta sexdens piriventris, Acromyrmex coronatus and Cyphomyrmex muelleri are considered pests, as they cause economics losses to several crops. The spermatheca of these species were examined by scanning electron microscopy, histological and histochemical techniques. Their morphology resembled that of a bilobular pouch partially jointed in the central portion. In A. coronatus and C. muelleri it is flatter in shape than those of other species. The external spermathecal gland, groups of secretory cells, was located at the joining point of the two spermathecal lobes of the reservoir. This was observed in A. laevigata, A. s. sexdens and A. coronatus, like a group of cells, while in C. muelleri, like filaments. An external associated gland was not observed in A. s. piriventris, instead secretory cells were arranged in a simple prismatic epithelium internally lining the spermathecal lumen. This epithelium was also observed in A. s. sexdens, although it was restricted to the joining point of the spermathecal lobes. The presence of an internal secretory epithelium in A. s. piriventris and A. s. sexdens suggests that their physiology for the maintenance of spermatozoa in viable conditions for egg fertilization might differ from A. laevigata, A. coronatus and C. muelleri, in which only an external spermathecal gland was observed.

Fungus-growing ants in the tribe Attini represent a classic example of a mutualism. These ants obligately depend on fungus as their major food source, while the fungus receives both vegetative substrate (nourishment) from the ants and protection from pathogens. Here, we try to identify both benefits and costs of the association by using cultivar switch experiments. We assessed the benefits to each mutualistic partner by replacing the native fungus (cultivar) used by the primitive attine ant species Cyphomyrmex muelleri with a novel cultivar, that of the closely related ant species Cyphomyrmex longiscapus. We show that interspecific cultivar switches caused a significant decline in worker number, garden biomass, and the number of reproductives produced by colonies. In contrast, these effects were not seen in intraspecific switches. We also examined possible costs of the mutualistic association. We estimated colony sex ratios for C. longiscapus to determine whether cultivars can bias reproductive allocation toward females; such bias may evolve because only female reproductives can disperse the fungus, and males are therefore of no value to the fungus. However, intraspecific cultivar switches did not significantly affect ant sex ratios. Cultivar switch experiments represent a new tool for studying cooperation, conflict, and coevolution between mutualistic partners in the attine ant-fungus symbiosis. Copyright 2006.

New World diapriine wasps are abundant and diverse, but the biology of most species is unknown. We provide the first description of the biology of diapriine wasps, Acanthopria spp. and Mimopriella sp., which attack the larvae of Cyphomyrmex fungus-growing ants. In Puerto Rico, the koinobiont parasitoids Acanthopria attack Cyphomyrmex minutus, while in Panama at least four morphospecies of Acanthopria and one of Mimopriella attack Cyphomyrmex rimosus. Of the total larvae per colony, 0-100% were parasitized, and 27-70% of the colonies per population were parasitized. Parasitism rate and colony size were negatively correlated for C. rimosus but not for C. minutus. Worker ants grasped at, bit, and in some cases, killed adult wasps that emerged in artificial nests or tried to enter natural nests. Parasitoid secondary sex ratios were female-biased for eclosing wasps, while field collections showed a male-biased sex ratio. Based on their abundance and success in attacking host ants, these minute wasps present excellent opportunities to explore how natural enemies impact ant colony demography and population biology.

Cultivars of fungus-growing (attine) ants are vertically transmitted through inheritance from parent to offspring nest, but horizontal cultivar transfer between ant nests occurs occasionally, resulting in cultivar replacement within ant lineages. Two mechanisms could theoretically prevent the invasion of suboptimal cultivar strains and thus stabilize ant–cultivar coevolution: first, partner feedback inherent in vertical cultivar transmission and second, partner (symbiont) choice if the ants differentiate between productive and inferior cultivars during replacements. To elucidate the nature of symbiont choice, we presented workers of Cyphomyrmex muelleri with novel cultivars representing a phylogenetic cline of close and distant relatives of the native C. muelleri cultivar. Workers invariably preferred their native cultivar, discriminating against even very close relatives of the native cultivar. When given a choice between two non-native cultivar strains, workers accepted the strain most closely related to their native cultivar. Two conclusions emerge. First, colony switches to distantly related cultivars are behaviorally unlikely and may not be preference-based; rather, distant switches may occur under constrained choice, such as pathogen-related garden losses that force colonies to import novel cultivars. Second, the ability of attine ants to differentiate between closely related cultivar strains suggests that the ant–fungus mutualism is stabilized evolutionarily not only by partner feedback inherent in vertical cultivar transmission, but possibly also by symbiont choice through which the ants select against unwanted, presumably inferior, cultivars. The efficacy of symbiont choice now needs to be tested experimentally. Such research may benefit from application of theory and experimental paradigms that have been developed within the areas of mate choice and sexual selection. Key words: Attini, Cyphomyrmex, fungus-growing ant, mutualism, symbiont choice, symbiosis. [Behav Ecol 15:357–364 (2004)]

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:59:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-01-01 Cyphomyrmex ants are a basal group of small fungus-growers (Myrmicinae:Attini), which differ profoundly from their most studied relatives Atta and Acromyrmex. Our objective was to investigate the nest biology and demography of the fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex lectus in a transitional area (savanna-forest) disturbed by an annual fire regime, in Southeast Brazil. The colonies of C. lectus were located close to each other (mean distance between nests, 3.38 ± 2.75 m). Its external nest structure consisted of a single circular nest-entrance hole but without a conspicuous nest mound. Nests were relatively simple consisting of a single well-formed chamber and a single gallery connecting to the nest entrance. No relationships were found between ant number per colony and gallery length, as well as chamber volume. Nonetheless, we detected an effect of the ant number per colony on chamber depth. In this sense, a deeper chamber could warrant a better protection against fire, natural enemies and offer favorable micro-conditions to yeast culture. The colonies of C. lectus are small (a mean of 70 ± 49.4 individuals/colony). Alates, larvae and pupae were found only in one out of eight colonies. A single dealate queen per colony was observed strongly suggesting that this species is monogynous. Further studies could evaluate whether (1) nests density differ before and after fire periods, (2) fire occurrence affects the survival and establishment rate of new colonies, as well as (3) the nest microclimatic conditions necessary to yeast culture. Laboratório de Biossistemática Animal UESB/DCEN, BR 415, Km 03, s/n Laboratório de Mirmecologia UESC/CEPEC-CEPLAC Centro de Pesquisa Do Cacau Centro de Estudos Dos Insetos Sociais IB-UNESP Centro de Estudos Dos Insetos Sociais IB-UNESP

Summary. Nesting in abundance on stream embankments in the wet forests of Panama, the fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex longiscapus sensu lato has become a model organism for the study of behavior, ecology, mating frequency, cultivar specificity, pathogenesis, and social parasitism in the attine agricultural symbiosis. Allozyme markers, morphology, and other evidence indicate that C. longiscapus s.l. is in fact a complex of two species, one of which is new to science and described here as Cyphomyrmex muelleri Schultz and Solomon, new species. Although both species occur sympatrically in the same microhabitats and are ecologically, behaviorally, and morphologically quite similar, they consistently cultivate two distantly related fungal symbionts. Thus, each of the two sibling ant species is specialized on a distinct cultivar species, contradicting the conclusions of a previous study. Information is provided for reliably separating the two ant species; morphometrics, ecology, behavior, biogeography, and natural history are summarized. Possible evolutionary mechanisms underlying cryptic speciation in C. longiscapus s.l. are discussed.

Fungal cultivars of fungus-growing ants (Attini, Formicidae) are carried by dispersing queens from parent to offspring nest. This vertical cultivar transmission between generations is thought to result in long-term ant-fungus coevolution and selection for beneficial cultivar traits that maximize harvests and thus colony productivity. In contrast to this traditional view of vertical cultivar transmission, frequent horizontal cultivar transmission between ant species is implicated by a phylogenetic analysis of 72 cultivars propagated by two fungus-growing ant species coexisting sympatrically in central Panama. The two ant species are specialized on the same group of closely related cultivars, but in six of 12 cultivar clades identifiable within this group, cultivars from both ant species were united in the same clade. Five of these 'mixed' clades were supported by bootstrap values of about 90% or higher. In one instance, colonies from the two ant species cultivated the same, genetically identical, cultivar clone. These phylogenetic patterns indicate that: (i) cultivar exchanges between the two ant species occur routinely throughout ecological time; and that (ii) coevolutionary processes between ants and their fungi are more diffuse than previously assumed. Because the two ant species are specialized on a narrow group of closely related cultivars that they regularly exchange among each other, but not with other sympatric ant species, cultivar exchanges are constrained, most likely, by ant preferences for their own cultivar group or by stringent selection against transitions of ant lineages to distantly related cultivars.

Social parasites exploit other societies by invading and stealing resources. Some enter protected nests using offensive chemical weaponry made from alkaloid-based venom. We characterized the venoms of three Megalomyrmex thief ant species (M. mondabora, M. mondaboroides, and M. silvestrii) that parasitize the fungus-growing ants, and developed an ethogram to describe host ant reactions to raiding M. mondaboroides and M. silvestrii parasites. We compared piperidine, pyrrolidine, and pyrolizidine venom alkaloid structures with synthetic samples from previous studies, and describe the novel stereochemistry of trans 2-hexyl-5-[8-oxononyl]-pyrrolidine (3) from M. mondabora. We showed that workers of Cyphomyrmex costatus, the host of M. mondaboroides and M. silvestrii, react to a sting by Megalomyrmex parasites mainly with submissive behavior, playing dead or retreating. Host submission also followed brief antennal contact. The behavior of C. costatus ants observed in this study was similar to that of Cyphomyrmex cornutus, host of M. mondabora, suggesting that the alkaloidal venoms with pyrrolidines from M. mondabora, piperidines from M. mondaboroides, and pyrolizidines from M. silvestrii may function similarly as appeasement and repellent allomones against host ants, despite their different chemical structure. With the use of these chemical weapons, the Megalomyrmex thief ants are met with little host resistance and easily exploit host colony resources.

Male specific tyramides from three additional myrmicine genera Rachelle M.M. Adams *, Tappey H. Jones , Andrew W. Jeter c Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA b Laboratories of Analytical Biology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA Department of Chemistry, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA 24450, USA

In this study we identified the material collected as fungal substrate by attine ants in the cerrado vegetation of Southeast Brazil. A total of 313 colonies of the evolutionary more primitive (genera Cyphomyrmex, Mycetarotes, Mycocepurus, Myrmicocrypta) and transitional attines (genera Sericomyrmex and Trachymyrmex) were marked in the field and monitored monthly, during one year. Attines collected material from 53 plant species in 28 families. Items included leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, wood, mosses, lichens, insect feces and corpses. Flowers and fruits were the items most frequently collected by all genera, especially during the wet season when these plant parts are more abundant in the cerrado. During the dry season, the ants diversified the material collected, and the frequency of different items varied across the ant genera. The most primitive genera collected mainly insect feces and corpses, while the intermediate ones relied on vegetative plant parts such as recently fallen leaflets. Seeds and other materials such as mosses, lichens, and wood were also more commonly used during dry months. The use of these resources was associated with greater foraging distances by all genera in dry months. The results indicate that lower attines present an opportunistic foraging behavior, by collecting items in the vicinity of their nests, and in accordance with the phenology of the cerrado vegetation. We briefly discuss some general evolutionary trends within the Attini.

The well-studied, ancient and highly evolved mutualism between fungus-growing ants and their fungi has become a model system in the study of symbiosis1,5. Although it is thought at present to involve only two symbionts, associated with each other in near isolation from other organisms1,5, the fungal gardens of attine ants are in fact host to a specialized and virulent parasitic fungus of the genus Escovopsis (Ascomycotina)6. Because the ants and their fungi are mutually dependent, the maintenance of stable fungal monocultures in the presence of weeds or parasites is critical to the survival of both organisms. Here we describe a new, third mutualist in this symbiosis, a filamentous bacterium (actinomycete) of the genus Streptomyces that produces antibiotics specifically targeted to suppress the growth of the specialized garden-parasite Escovopsis. This third mutualist is associated with all species of fungus-growing ants studied, is carried upon regions of the ants' cuticle that are genus specific, is transmitted vertically (from parent to offspring colonies), and has the capacity to promote the growth of the fungal mutualist, indicating that the association of Streptomyces with attine ants is both highly evolved and of ancient origin.

The attine fungus Tyridiomyces formicarum, the symbiont of the fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex minutus, produces several antifungal diketopiperazines. This represents the first identification of antifungal compounds from an attine symbiont and contradicts previous suggestions that attine fungi do not produce metabolites with antifungal activity. T. formicarum probably produces antifungal compounds in defense (1) against other fungi that invade the gardens and escape the weeding activity of the ants, or (2) against ant-pathogenic fungi that could harm the host ants. Fungi cultivated by fungus-growing ants may represent a rich source of additional bioactive metabolites.

We surveyed the material collected for fungus culturing by attine ants in the cerrado vegetation of southeast Brazil. Six genera of the so-called lower attines (Cyphomyrmex, Mycetarotes, Mycocepurus, Myrmicocrypta, Sericomyrmex and Eachymyrmex) collect a wide variety of plant material as fungal substrate. Plant diaspores of nonmyrmecochorous species comprise a large portion of the items brought to the nest, especially in the rainy season. Removal experiments using fruits of selected plant species revealed that attine ants (including the leaf-cutters Atta and Acromyrmex) not only actively clean the seeds (remove fruit pulp), but also carry them up to 12 m in the cerrado. Germination tests showed that removal of fruit pulp by attine ants increases germination rate in Ocotea pulcbella (Lauraceae), Prunus sellowii (Rosaceae), Ouratea spectabilis (Ochnaceae), Rapanea umbellata (Myrsinaceae) and Psycbotria stachyoides (Ru- biaceae). For I! stachyoides, however, ants had no effect on germination if seeds had already passed the digestive tract of birds. Aril removal by attines also increases germination success of Copaijira langsdorftii (Leguminosae) and Virola sebfera (Myristicaceae) seeds. The results indicate that attine-frudseed interactions are particularly conspicuous in the cerrado, suggesting that fungus-growing ants may play a relevant role in fruitlseed biology in this vegetation type. Potential ant-derived benefits to diaspores of nonmyrmecochorous plants in the cerrado would include secondary seed dispersion andlor increased germination success by ant-handled seeds. Kq words: tion. ant-plant interaction; attine ants; cerrado vegetation; mutualism; rnyrrnecochory; seed dispersal; seed germina

A PCR-based fingerprinting technique based on amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) is used to screen symbiotic fungi of the fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex minutus for genetic differences. AFLP fingerprints reveal several fungal 'types' that (a) represent distinct clones propagated vegetatively by the ant, or (b) correspond to free-living fungi that may be acquired by the ant. Fungal types identified by AFLP fingerprints correspond to vegetative-compatibility groups established previously, suggesting that vegetative compatibility can be used as a crude indicator of genetic differences between fungi of C. minutus.

A phylogenetic hypothesis of the fungus-growing ants (subfamily Myrmicinae, tribe Attini) is proposed, based on a cladistic analysis utilizing forty-four morphological characters (109 states) of the prepupal worker larva. The fifty-one attine species analysed include representatives of eleven of the twelve currently recognized attine genera, excluding only the monotypic workerless parasite Pseudoatta; the non-attines include two outgroups (species of the basal myrmicine genera Myrmica and Pogonomyrmex), two myrmicine species presumed to be distantly related to the attines, and twelve species representing taxa that have been proposed by prior workers as possible sister groups of the Attini. There is strong character support for the monophyly of the Attini and for a sister-group relationship of the Attini and the Neotropical Blepharidatta brasiliensis. The Attini are divided into two distinct lineages, an ‘apterostigmoid’ clade (containing Apterostigma and Mycocepurus) and an ‘attoid’ clade (containing all other attine genera except Myrmicocrypta). The attine genus Myrmicocrypta appears to be paraphyletic with respect to these two groups; the species M.buenzlii in particular retains many attine plesiomorphies. These results indicate that the fungus-growing behaviour had a single evolutionary origin in the ants. They also indicate that mycelium cultivation is plesiomorphic and that yeast cultivation is derived within the Attini, overturning the long-standing assumption that the yeast-growing Cyphomyrmex species are the most primitive Attini. Behavioural and ecological investigations into the origin and evolution of the fungus-growing behaviour might more profitably focus on species in the attine genus Myrmicocrypta, as well as those in the closely related non-attine genera Blepharidatta and Wasmannia.