THE LIGHT AND MAGNETIC COMPASS OF THE WEAVER ANT, OECOPHYLLA-SMARAGDINA (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

Authors
JANDER R JANDER U
Citation
R. Jander et U. Jander, THE LIGHT AND MAGNETIC COMPASS OF THE WEAVER ANT, OECOPHYLLA-SMARAGDINA (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE), Ethology, 104(9), 1998, pp. 743-758
Citations number
47
Categorie Soggetti
Zoology,"Behavioral Sciences
Journal title
Ethology → ACNP
ISSN journal
01791613
Volume
104
Issue
9
Year of publication
1998
Pages
743 - 758
Database
ISI
SICI code
0179-1613(1998)104:9<743:TLAMCO>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
Some of the foraging of the arboreal Australian weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina takes place on the ground. Odor trails and compass orientat ion are used to return to the trunk of their nesting tree. Field exper iments established directional responses to light and the natural magn etic field. The precision of the light compass orientation is much gre ater than that of the magnetic compass orientation: the respective ave rage wrapped-around standard deviations (WSD) of directional choices t owards home are WSD = +/- 48 degrees and WSD = +/- 105 degrees.