Territoriality in a Queenless Ant, Pristomyrmex pungens(Hymenoptera : Myrmicinae)

Abstract

Workers of a queenless, thelytokous, worker-reproducing ant, Pristomyrmex pungens defend their nests, food resources (aphid colonies) and recruitment trails against workers of other conspecific colonies as well as against other ant species. The hypothesis that queens contribute colony specific odor as an intercolonial discrimination mechanism cannot apply to this species. Roles of environmental odor and genetically determined odor of workers should be evaluated in future.