ROLE OF FUNGUS IN THE DIET OF THE LEAF-CUTTING ANT ATTA-CEPHALOTES (L)
ROLE OF FUNGUS IN THE DIET OF THE LEAF-CUTTING ANT ATTA-CEPHALOTES (L)
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1365-2311.1979.tb00570.x
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发表时间：
1979-01-01
影响因子：
2.2
通讯作者：
CHERRETT, JM
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
QUINLAN, RJ;CHERRETT, JM
切叶蚁A. cephalotes的工蚁和蚁后以其培养的真菌产生的肿胀菌丝（葡萄球菌）的汁液为食，但两者都没有从这种来源获得足够的能量来满足其呼吸需要。工蜂吃掉的葡萄球菌数量随着工蜂体型的增加而增加，但不足以满足它们的能量需求。幼虫以整个葡萄球菌和之前被工蜂咀嚼过的葡萄球菌为食，并从中获得足够的能量用于呼吸和生长。没有发现以真菌菌丝为食的证据，也没有发现工蜂与幼虫之间的营养关系。人工喂养时，幼虫对葡萄球菌的偏好大于对菌丝的偏好，且以葡萄球菌为食的幼虫体重增加较多。工蚁在为真菌园准备植物材料的过程中吸收植物汁液，在此过程中吸收的碳水化合物足以满足其大约24小时的能量需求。葡萄球菌比蚂蚁真菌菌丝富含脂肪和碳水化合物，而蛋白质含量较低。2个小巢的真菌园产生的葡萄球菌数量与观察到的消耗率相当，但只能提供约4%的巢呼吸需求。讨论了真菌在蚂蚁饮食中的作用的修正观点。
The workers and queen of the leaf-cutting ant A. cephalotes fed on the juice of swollen hyphae (staphylae) produced by their cultivated fungus, but neither obtained sufficient energy from this source for their respiratory needs. The number of staphylae eaten by workers increased with worker size but was not enough to satisfy their energy requirements. Larvae fed on whole staphylae and staphylae previously chewed by workers, and obtained sufficient energy from this source for respiration and growth. No evidence of feeding on fungus hyphae or of trophallaxis between worker and larvae was found. Larvae preferred staphylae to hyphae when fed them artificially and they gained more weight on the former. Worker ants imbibed plant sap during the preparation of plant material for the fungus garden and the uptake of carbohydrate during this process was sufficient to supply their energy needs for approximately 24 h. Staphylae were richer in lipid and carbohydrate, and poorer in protein than ant fungal hyphae. The number of staphylae produced by the fungus gardens of 2 small nests was comparable with the observed consumption rate but would provide only about 4% of the nest''s respiratory requirements. A revised view of the role of the fungus in the diet of the ant is discussed.