Nestmate discrimination in ants: effect of bioassay on aggressive behavior

摘要: Aggression assays are commonly used to study nestmate recognition in social insects. Methods range from detailed behavioral observations on small numbers of insects counts individuals fighting group interactions. These vary the equipment and intensity duration observations. We Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, compare four aggression bioassays for consistency between replicates, similarity assays, ability predict whole colony The included were 1 live – dead ant interactions, 1-1 battles, 5-5 introduced a foreign colony. tested six colonies all pairwise combinations using different two three scoring methods per assay. also conducted merging experiment see which capable predicting this ecologically important event. found that within yielded very similar results, giving us no reason favor observationally intense procedures, such as continuous scanning, over less systems, snapshot surveys. Assays differed greatly their replicates. No replicates assay significantly correlated. introduction most consistent across mean scores 1-1, correlated with each other; only was utilized greatest number ants likely reveal high levels aggression. but positively died during encounters negatively associated merging. conclude useful tools analyzing aggressive interactions colonies, pairing produced inconsistent results generally lower relatively low trials assay, sufficient replication its highly more interacting ants. suggest isolated acts do not necessarily : some fought merged when entire allowed interact.