ONTOGENY OF NESTMATE BROOD RECOGNITION IN A PRIMITIVE ANT, ECTATOMMA-TUBERCALUTUM OLIVIER (PONERINAE)

The capacity of the primitive ant Ectatomma tuberculatum to discrimina te between nestmate and alien conspecific larvae in choice situations in relation to worker's age, social status and early experience was in vestigated. Brood discrimination was measured in terms of behavioural acts (licking, transport, antennation). Only 2-10-week-old adults pref erred nestmate larvae, as they specialized in nursing. Younger as well as older workers were unable to discriminate brood. Teneral workers l earned to recognize and prefer nestmate brood, even if it was unrelate d (adopted from an alien conspecific colony). The familiarization lear ning was always very labile, however. A temporary estrangement from br ood was enough for a worker to lose either the template of recognition cues, or the capacity to display preferential behaviour. (C) 1995 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour