''Acromyrmex heyeri'' is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Myrmicinae Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants, with about 140 extant genera; their distribution is cosmopolitan. The pupae lack cocoons. Some species retain a functional sting. The petioles of Myrmicinae consist of two nodes. The nests are permanent and ...

of the genus ''Acromyrmex''.

Distribution

This species is found in Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.

Description

''Acromyrmex heyeri'' workers construct the colonies nest by

thatching Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge (''Cladium mariscus''), rushes, heather, or palm branches, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. Since the bulk of ...

together cut grass. At temperatures ranging from 20 to 30 °C, workers created more openings in the nest thatch as the internal nest temperature goes up as a method of temperature regulation for the colony. The workers will close openings in the nest thatch as the air humidity surrounding the nest decreases to reduce water loss for the colony. Studies using isoenzyme systems MDH, a-GPDH, and

AMY Amy is a female given name, sometimes short for Amanda, Amelia, Amélie, or Amita. In French, the name is spelled ''"Aimée"''. People A–E * Amy Acker (born 1976), American actress * Amy Vera Ackman, also known as Mother Giovanni (1886– ...

show the occurrence of monogyny and polygyny associated or not with polyandry, which indicates that the social organization is colony-specific. The polygyny and polyandry observed are likely to be responsible for the great genotypic diversity of the species colonies. The average inbreeding coefficient per colony is higher in '' Acromyrmex striatus'' than in ''Acromyrmex heyeri'', which may reflect the different patterns of production of sexual individuals and nuptial flight of those two species.

Synonyms

* ''Acromyrmex gaudens'' Fowler, 1988 * ''Acromyrmex lillensis'' Fowler, 1988 * ''Moellerius heyeri'' Forel, 1899

References

External links

Genetics and Molecular Biology, 25, 2, 173-178 (2002), ''Isoenzyme variation in the leaf-cutting ants Acromyrmex heyeri and Acromyrmex striatus Hymenoptera, formicidae)", Brazilian Society of GeneticsGENETIC VARIABILITY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF COLONIES IN Acromyrmex heyeri AND A. striatus (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4676200 heyeri Insects described in 1899 Hymenoptera of South America

Distribution

Description

Synonyms

See also

References

External links