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Gamergate (ant)
A gamergate ( ) is a mated worker ant that can reproduce sexually, i.e., lay fertilized eggs that will develop as females. In the vast majority of ant species, workers are sterile and gamergates are restricted to taxa where the workers have a functional sperm reservoir (' spermatheca'). In some species, gamergates reproduce in addition to winged queens (usually upon the death of the original foundress), while in other species the queen caste has been completely replaced by gamergates. In gamergate species, all workers in a colony have similar reproductive potentials, but as a result of physical interactions, a dominance hierarchy is formed and only one or a few top-ranking workers can mate (usually with foreign males) and produce eggs. Subsequently however, aggression is no longer needed as gamergates secrete chemical signals that inform the other workers of their reproductive status in the colony. Depending on the species, there can be one gamergate per colony ( monogyny) or se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachycondyla Berthoudi Sam-hym-c007394a Profile 1
''Pachycondyla'' is a Ponerinae, ponerine genus of ants found in the Neotropics. Distribution ''Pachycondyla'' is currently distributed from southern United States to northern Argentina, but some fossil species (e.g. ''Pachycondyla eocenica, P. eocenica'' and ''Pachycondyla lutzi, P. lutzi'') are found in Europe. Species The genus formerly contained hundreds of species, most of them belonging to at the time junior synonyms of ''Pachycondyla''. While revising the ponerines, Schmidt & Shattuck (2014) revived many of the former synonyms, leaving only eleven species in ''Pachycondyla''. They were not able to place some species with certainty, and left more than twenty species ''incertae sedis'' in ''Pachycondyla'', acknowledging that "this placement is undoubtedly incorrect". *''Pachycondyla constricticeps'' Mackay & Mackay, 2010 *''Pachycondyla crassinoda'' (Latreille, 1802) *''Pachycondyla fuscoatra'' (Roger, 1861) *''Pachycondyla harpax'' (Fabricius, 1804) *''Pachycondyla impres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thorax (insect Anatomy)
The thorax is the midsection ( tagma) of the hexapod body (insects and entognathans). It holds the head, legs, wings and abdomen. It is also called mesosoma or cephalothorax in other arthropods. It is formed by the prothorax, mesothorax and metathorax and comprises the scutellum; the cervix, a membrane that separates the head from the thorax; and the pleuron, a lateral sclerite of the thorax. In dragonflies and damselflies the mesothorax and metathorax are fused together to form the synthorax. In some insect pupae, like the mosquitoes', the head and thorax can be fused in a cephalothorax. Members of suborder Apocrita (wasps, ants and bees) in the order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera is a large order of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. Over 150,000 living species of Hymenoptera have been described, in addition to over 2,000 extinct ones. Many of the species are parasitic. Females typic ... have the first segment of the abdomen fused with the thor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hormone
A hormone (from the Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs by complex biological processes to regulate physiology and behavior. Hormones are required for the correct development of animals, plants and fungi. Due to the broad definition of a hormone (as a signaling molecule that exerts its effects far from its site of production), numerous kinds of molecules can be classified as hormones. Among the substances that can be considered hormones, are eicosanoids (e.g. prostaglandins and thromboxanes), steroids (e.g. oestrogen and brassinosteroid), amino acid derivatives (e.g. epinephrine and auxin), protein or peptides (e.g. insulin and CLE peptides), and gases (e.g. ethylene and nitric oxide). Hormones are used to communicate between organs and tissues. In vertebrates, hormones are responsible for regulating a variety of physiological processes and behavioral activities such ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinoponera Quadriceps
''Dinoponera quadriceps'' is a queenless species of ants in the subfamily Ponerinae. The species, known from Brazil, is similar to '' Dinoponera mutica'' and uses venom for subduing large live prey and defense. Its venom could be of use to the pharmaceutical industry. Distribution ''Dinoponera quadriceps'' is found in the Caatingas, Cerrados, upland humid forest and Atlantic forest in the northeastern Brazilian states of Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Paraiba, Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte. Of all ''Dinoponera'', ''Dinoponera quadriceps'' has the largest colonies with an average of 80 workers (range 26–238). ''Dinoponera quadriceps'' usually nest at the base of trees. Observations of ''Dinoponera quadriceps'' nests show that in more arid Caatinga and Cerrado habitats, nests are predominantly constructed under trees, whereas in Atlantic forest 60% of nests were 3 m away from any tree. Nests are deeper in ''Dinoponera quadriceps'' (and '' Dinoponera australis'') than in '' Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oocyte
An oocyte (, ), oöcyte, or ovocyte is a female gametocyte or germ cell involved in reproduction. In other words, it is an immature ovum, or egg cell. An oocyte is produced in a female fetus in the ovary during female gametogenesis. The female germ cells produce a primordial germ cell (PGC), which then undergoes mitosis, forming oogonia. During oogenesis, the oogonia become primary oocytes. An oocyte is a form of genetic material that can be collected for cryoconservation. Formation The formation of an oocyte is called oocytogenesis, which is a part of oogenesis. Oogenesis results in the formation of both primary oocytes during fetal period, and of secondary oocytes after it as part of ovulation. Characteristics Cytoplasm Oocytes are rich in cytoplasm, which contains yolk granules to nourish the cell early in development. Nucleus During the primary oocyte stage of oogenesis, the nucleus is called a germinal vesicle. The only normal human type of secondary oocyte ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stigmatomma Reclinatum
''Stigmatomma'' is a genus of ants in the subfamily Amblyoponinae Amblyoponinae is a subfamily of ants in the poneromorph subfamilies group containing 13 extant genera and one extinct genus. The ants in this subfamily are mostly specialized subterranean predators. Adult workers pierce the integument (non letha .... The genus has a worldwide distribution, and like most other amblyoponines, ''Stigmatomma'' species are specialized predators. First described by Roger (1859), it was for a long time considered to be a synonym of '' Amblyopone'' until it was revived as an independent genus by Yoshimura & Fisher (2012) based on worker mandible morphology. Species *'' Stigmatomma amblyops'' Karavaiev, 1935 *'' Stigmatomma annae'' (Arnol'di, 1968) *'' Stigmatomma awa'' (Xu & Chu, 2012) *'' Stigmatomma bellii'' (Forel, 1900) *'' Stigmatomma besucheti'' (Baroni Urbani, 1978) *'' Stigmatomma bolabola'' Esteves & Fisher, 2016 *'' Stigmatomma boltoni'' (Bharti & Wachkoo, 2011) *'' Stigma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amblyoponinae
Amblyoponinae is a subfamily of ants in the poneromorph subfamilies group containing 13 extant genera and one extinct genus. The ants in this subfamily are mostly specialized subterranean predators. Adult workers pierce the integument (non lethally) of their larvae and pupa to imbibe haemolymph, earning them the common name Dracula ant. Identification Amblyoponinae is characterized by these worker characters: eyes small or absent, situated behind midlength of side of head; anterior margin of clypeus with specialized dentiform setae; promesonotal suture flexible; petiole very broadly attached to abdominal segment 3 and without a distinct posterior face; postpetiole absent; sting present and well developed. Systematics The subfamily was formerly considered a tribe within Ponerinae, but was elevated to its own subfamily in 2003 when Barry Bolton divided Ponerinae into six subfamilies. *Amblyoponinae Forel, 1893 ** Amblyoponini Forel, 1893 *** '' Adetomyrma'' Ward, 1994 *** ''Ambl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eusocial Insect
Eusociality (from Greek εὖ ''eu'' "good" and social), the highest level of organization of sociality, is defined by the following characteristics: cooperative brood care (including care of offspring from other individuals), overlapping generations within a colony of adults, and a division of labor into reproductive and non-reproductive groups. The division of labor creates specialized behavioral groups within an animal society which are sometimes referred to as 'castes'. Eusociality is distinguished from all other social systems because individuals of at least one caste usually lose the ability to perform at least one behavior characteristic of individuals in another caste. Eusocial colonies can be viewed as superorganisms. Eusociality exists in certain insects, crustaceans, and mammals. It is mostly observed and studied in the Hymenoptera ( ants, bees, and wasps) and in Blattodea (termites). A colony has caste differences: queens and reproductive males take the roles of the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cooperative Breeders
Cooperative breeding is a social system characterized by alloparental care: offspring receive care not only from their parents, but also from additional group members, often called helpers. Cooperative breeding encompasses a wide variety of group structures, from a breeding pair with helpers that are offspring from a previous season, to groups with multiple breeding males and females ( polygynandry) and helpers that are the adult offspring of some but not all of the breeders in the group, to groups in which helpers sometimes achieve co-breeding status by producing their own offspring as part of the group's brood. Cooperative breeding occurs across taxonomic groups including birds, mammals, fish, and insects. Costs for helpers include a fitness reduction, increased territory defense, offspring guarding and an increased cost of growth. Benefits for helpers include a reduced chance of predation, increased foraging time, territory inheritance, increased environmental conditions and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harpegnathos Saltator
''Harpegnathos saltator'', sometimes called the Indian jumping ant or Jerdon's jumping ant, is a species of ant found in India. They have long mandibles and have the ability to leap a few inches. They are large-eyed and active predators that hunt mainly in the early morning. The colonies are small and the difference between workers and queens is very slight. Subspecies *''H. s. cruentatus'' (Smith, 1858) *''H. s. taprobanae'' Forel, 1909 Habits Unlike other ants, they are seen singly or in small groups and their colonies consist of very few individuals. They are also unusual amongst ants in that the queen-worker difference is very limited and some workers can mate and lay fertilized eggs just like the queen. These workers are termed gamergates. New colonies are founded independently by single queens, and on aging, they are replaced by several gamergates. The gamergates copulate with males from their own colonies, and being inbred, are related to the original founding queen. C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fecundity
Fecundity is defined in two ways; in human demography, it is the potential for reproduction of a recorded population as opposed to a sole organism, while in population biology, it is considered similar to fertility, the natural capability to produce offspring, measured by the number of gametes (eggs), seed set, or asexual propagules. Superfecundity refers to an organism's ability to store another organism's sperm (after copulation) and fertilize its own eggs from that store after a period of time, essentially making it appear as though fertilization occurred without sperm (i.e. parthenogenesis). Human demography Human demography considers only human fecundity, at its culturally differing rates, while population biology studies all organisms. The term ''fecundity'' in population biology is often used to describe the rate of offspring production after one time step (often annual). In this sense, fecundity may include both birth rates and survival of young to that time step. Whi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
