Homing strategies of the Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti -: II.: Interaction of the path integrator with visual cue information
Homing strategies of the Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti -: II.: Interaction of the path integrator with visual cue information
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DOI：
10.1242/jeb.02769
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发表时间：
2007-05-15
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
Narendra, Ajay
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Narendra, Ajay
我们知道，单独觅食的蚂蚁会通过路径整合和记录环境中的视觉信息返回巢穴。本文报道了澳大利亚沙漠蚂蚁的路径积分器与视觉线索提供的信息之间的相互作用。蚂蚁被训练成在一个1米宽、20米长的圆柱体走廊中行走。在熟悉的训练场和不熟悉的测试场中，分别记录有和没有矢量信息和路径线索的情况下训练蚂蚁的回家路径。归巢蚂蚁只在熟悉的环境中使用路线线索信息。路径提示不是必需的，但可以减少归巢轨迹与喂巢线的偏差。当局部迁移时，回家的蚂蚁最初利用远处的线索朝向巢穴，然后在路径积分器和远处线索所指示的方向之间的中间方向前进。如果蚂蚁在旅行过程中遇到熟悉的路径，它们就会坚持走下去。如果没有，他们平均走了一半的路程，并开始寻找直接向巢。在搜索之后，蚂蚁沿着路线提示和距离提示之间的中间方向前进。在不熟悉的环境中，矢量和路径线索信息都不能引导蚂蚁返回巢穴。本文讨论了远距离线索的优势、熟悉情境的重要性以及不同导航策略之间的相互作用。
Individually foraging ants are known to return to their nest by using path-integration and recording visual information present in the environment. The interaction between the path integrator and the information provided by the visual cues in an Australian desert ant are reported here. Ants were trained to travel in a 1-m wide and 20-m long corridor of cylinders. Homeward paths of trained ants were recorded in the presence and absence of vector information and route cues in both the familiar training field and in an unfamiliar test field. Homing ants used route cue information only in a familiar context. The route cues were not essential but served to reduce the deviation of the homing trajectory from the nest-feeder line. When displaced locally, homebound ants initially oriented towards the nest using distant cues and then headed in a direction intermediate between that dictated by the path integrator and the distant cues. If in the course of travel ants encountered the familiar path they adhered to it. If not, they travelled on average half the distance of the outbound journey and initiated a search directed towards the nest. Following the search, ants headed in a direction intermediate between that dictated by the route cues and the distant cues. In an unfamiliar context neither vector nor route cue information could steer a homing ant towards the nest. The dominance of distant cues, the importance of familiar context and the interaction between different navigation strategies are discussed here.