Predatory behavior of patrolling Allomerus decemarticulatus workers (Formicidae; Myrmicinae) on their host plant

Allomerus decemarticulatus Mayr is an arboreal myrmicine ant species with t iny workers (about 2mm in length) that lives in association with the myrmec ophyte Hirtella physophora (Chrysobalanaceae). The colonies sheltering in h ost plants of 1.20 to 1.70m in height, monogynic, contained 1185 +/- 328 wo rkers. The workers constantly patrolled the associated plant leaves, but th ey were more numerous during the daytime than at night, with the fewest num ber at dusk. The predatory behavior of this ant species was studied using t ermite workers. After detection, patrolling workers attacked the prey by se izing them by a leg, then pulled backward. In reaction the prey pulled in t he opposite direction, the situation remaining this way until the arrival o f new workers. The first seized in turn a prey leg and pulled backward, res ulting in the spread-eagling of the prey. The workers that arrived later re turned to the nest in order to recruit nestmates at long range. The first r ecruited workers that arrived participated in spread-eagling the prey, whil e others stung the prey or patrolled around the scene. These results are co mpared with those known for dominant arboreal ant species.