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Cyphomyrmex
fungus-growing ants
Cyphomyrmex is a genus of small, drab-colored fungus-growing ants in the tribe Attini, found primarily in the Neotropics. These ants cultivate fungi in the tribe Leucocoprineae as their primary food source, with most species growing fungal nodules rather than full mycelial gardens. Colonies are typically monogynous and small, rarely exceeding 500 workers. The genus is divided into two species complexes: the strigatus complex (South America only) and the rimosus complex (southern North America to South America). Cyphomyrmex represents a basal lineage among attine ants and serves as sister group to Mycetophylax.
fungus-growing-antsattine-antsMyrmicinaeNeotropicalmutualismfungicultureLeucocoprineaemonogynyparasitoid-waspssocial-parasitismchemical-ecologyalkaloid-venomnest-architecturebehavioral-plasticitycytogeneticschromosome-evolutionGuiana-ShieldBrazilPanamaPuerto-RicoMesoamericaArgentinaUnited-StatesTexasCaliforniaFloridayeast-gardensmycelial-gardensrimosus-complexstrigatus-complexage-polyethismtrophallaxisthanatosisfeigning-deathDiapriidaeAcanthopriaMimopriellaMegalomyrmexsocial-parasiteC.-longiscapusC.-transversusC.-laevigatusC.-rimosusC.-minutusC.-lectusC.-cornutusC.-costatuspheromones3-octanolfarnesenestrail-followingalarm-signaldiketopiperazinesantifungal-compoundsdefensive-behaviorcolony-defenseflight-responserecruitmentLanchester's-lawskaryotypechromosome-numberrDNAmicrosatellitesFISHchamber-depthgallery-lengthfire-disturbancesavanna-forest-transitionarboreal-nestingclay-auriclessoil-nestswood-nestsepiphytic-nestsmoss-nestscoconut-nestsdesiccation-susceptibilitymoist-habitatsbasal-attinephylogeneticssister-groupchemical-evolutionvenom-alkaloidsbehavioral-manipulationhost-parasite-interactionecosystem-engineeringnutrient-cyclingdecompositionorganic-matterinsect-fecesexoskeleton-substrategarden-transplantationworker-polymorphismqueen-numberdealate-queensalatesbrood-careecdysis-assistanceforagingsugar-collectionplant-exudatesfungal-domesticationnodule-cultivationmycelium-cultivationagricultural-behaviornest-entrancefunnel-structureexposed-gardenssymbiont-diversitygeographic-variationresearch-modelevolutionary-biologymutualism-evolutionant-fungus-coevolutionchemical-communicationsocial-insectseusocialitycolony-sizesmall-coloniesslow-movementcrypsisdebris-mimicrypredation-avoidanceparasitoid-defensewasp-killingcolony-abandonmentresource-rescuethief-ant-defensevenom-resistancetoxicity-tolerancebehavioral-suppressionplaying-deadalkaloid-manipulationfungal-secondary-metabolitesantibacterial-compoundsantiviral-compoundsgarden-protectionmicrobial-defensenest-microclimatetemperature-regulationhumidity-requirementsdepth-effectsfire-adaptationdisturbance-ecologyhabitat-specificitysubstrate-specializationclay-constructionsoil-manipulationarchitectural-plasticityvertical-nestingembankment-nestingoverhang-nestingpendant-nestsswallow-nest-mimicryresearch-accessibilityfield-biologytropical-ecologyNeotropical-myrmecologybiodiversityconservationinvasive-species-contextnative-speciesbiological-controlIntegrated-Pest-Managementagricultural-ecologyforest-ecologysavanna-ecologytransitional-habitatsdisturbed-areasurban-ecologyanthropogenic-impactclimate-sensitivityhabitat-limitationrange-boundariesdispersalcolonizationestablishmentpopulation-dynamicsdemographycolony-densitynest-spacingintraspecific-competitioninterspecific-competitionterritorialityresource-defensecombat-behavioraggression-levelsrecruitment-behaviorchemical-signalingalarm-pheromonestrail-pheromonesrecognition-cuescuticular-hydrocarbonsvenom-compositiondefensive-secretionsmandibular-glandsDufour's-glandmetapleural-glandsantibiotic-productiongrooming-behaviorfungal-inoculationintegumental-fungiyeast-growthlarval-groominggarden-maintenancesubstrate-preparationfecal-fertilizeranal-trophallaxiscrop-regurgitationfluid-applicationdrying-behaviornodule-formationtransplantation-behaviorgarden-establishmentceiling-gardensroot-associationarchitectural-innovationnest-site-selectionmicrohabitat-choicemoisture-requirementsthermal-bufferingpredator-avoidanceparasite-avoidancedisease-resistancesocial-immunitycollective-behaviordivision-of-labortask-allocationtemporal-polyethismworker-agenurse-workersforager-workerssoldier-caste-absencemonomorphismworker-size-variationqueen-worker-differentiationreproductive-castegyne-productionmale-productionseasonal-reproductioncolony-foundingclaustral-foundingnon-claustral-foundingfungal-inoculumfounding-queenfirst-worker-generationnutritional-dependencyfat-reservesmetabolic-adaptationdigestive-physiologyenzyme-complementfungal-enzymelignocellulose-degradationnutritional-mutualismobligate-mutualismvertical-transmissionhorizontal-transmissionsymbiont-switchingcultivar-replacementgarden-failurecolony-mortalitypopulation-turnovergeneration-timelongevitysurvivorshiplife-expectancyagingsenescencereproductive-investmentcolony-growthcolony-declinebuddingfissionreproduction-modegenetic-structurerelatednessmating-systemnuptial-flightmate-choicesperm-storagecolony-odornestmate-recognitionforeign-rejectionagonistic-behaviorterritorial-markingboundary-defenseraiding-behaviorrobbing-behaviorcleptobiosisdulosisslaveryinquilinismguest-antsmyrmecophilesnest-associatescommensalisminquilinesparasite-tolerancehost-manipulationvenom-alkaloidpyrrolidineindolizidinepiperidinenonanalfarnesenesesquiterpeneagriculture-chemicalgaster-extractchemical-diversitychemical-simplicityevolutionary-precursorderived-chemistrybiosynthetic-pathwaysemiochemicalinfochemicalcommunicationinformation-transfercolony-organizationsocial-structurepolygynyqueen-conditiondealationwing-sheddin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rugatulus
Western Acorn Ant
Temnothorax rugatulus is a small myrmicine ant species native to western North America, notable for its sophisticated collective decision-making behaviors and remarkable polymorphism in queen size. The species exhibits two distinct queen morphs: large macrogynes associated with single-queen (monogynous) colonies, and smaller microgynes found in multiple-queen (polygynous) colonies. This species has become an important model organism for studying social insect behavior, communication, and the molecular mechanisms underlying caste determination and phenotypic plasticity.