REPRODUCTIVE-BEHAVIOR OF THE ANT LEPTOTHORAX (DICHOTHORAX) PERGANDEI

Leptothorax pergandei, the only member of the subgenus Dichothorax is a common ant in Chihuahuan desert habitats in southwestern Arizona. Ac cording to colony censuses and relatedness estimates, colonies are mos tly monogynous and queens typically mate only once. Mating takes place in local swarming flights; virgin queens attract males with secretion s from the poison gland. Some dealate queens running on the soil surfa ce directly after the mating flight had well-developed ovaries contain ing mature eggs and yellow bodies.