Resumen

QUIRAN, Estela M.  y  STEIBEL, Juan P.. ACROMYRMEX LOBICORNIS EMERY 1887 BODY AND LOAD WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP. A LABORATORY EXPERIENCE. Gayana (Concepc.) [online]. 2001, vol.65, n.2, pp. 113-118. ISSN 0717-6538.  doi: 10.4067/S0717-65382001000200002.

Leaf-cutting ants belonging to the genera Atta Fabricius and Acromyrmex Mayr (Attini) are efficient harvesters. Workers frequently carry leaf fragments to the nest, which weight is related to the ant body weight. In this paper the effect of two foraging distances are evalued on the relationship between these two variables. Observations were made in an artificial nest of Acromyrmex lobicornis. Results indicated that at short distances leaf weight is linearlly related with the ant weight while at longer distances this relationship is weakened. Thus, we conclude that Acromyrmex optimum leaf harvest is a complex process that could be affected not only by the ant weight but also environmental conditions, plant chemical composition, and colony nutritional demands

Palabras clave : Leaf cutting ants; Acromyrmex lobicornis; load weight; body weight.