RITUALISED FIGHTING IN THE MEAT ANT IRIDOMYRMEX PURPUREUS (SMITH) (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)

1982/05/01 by G. Ettershank, Jennifer Ettershank · 56 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Psychology · #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Plant and animal studies #Animal and Plant Science Education #Hymenoptera #Biology #Argentine ant #Scorpion #Sequence (biology) #ANT #Ecology #Zoology #Venom #Genetics

paper · doi:10.1111/j.1440-6055.1982.tb01772.x

published in Australian Journal of Entomology 21(2), 97-102 (Wiley)

openalex publication_date 1982/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26

Abstract

Abstract Workers of the meat ant establish territorial boundaries with adjoining colonies by prolonged confrontations involving ritualised fighting. The stereotyped sequence of events in the ritual is described. It is suggested that steps in this sequence are derived from solicitation for food. The energetic and evolutionary significance of ritualised fighting is discussed.

Citations

• THE Population Biology OF THE Meat ANT
• The Logic of Animal Conflict
• Dispersion and History of a Population of the Meat Ant Iridomyrmex Purpureus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
• The number of queens: An important trait in ant evolution
• The three dimensional gallery structure of the nest of the meat ant Iridomyrmex Purpureus (SM.) (Hymenoptera : Formicidae)
• Some aspects of the biology of the mound ant Iridomyrmex Detectus (Smith)
• Short-Term Change in a Population of the Meat Ant Iridomyrmex Purpureus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Cited by

• Conflict resolution strategies in meat ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus): ritualised displays versus lethal fighting
• The effect of a dominant ant, Iridomyrmex purpureus, on resource use by ant assemblages depends on microhabitat and resource type
• Colony characteristics influence the risk of nest predation of a polydomous ant by a monotreme
• The Influence of Relatedness, Neighbourhood and Overall Distance on Colony Mate Recognition in a Polydomous Ant
• Background odour may impair detection of chemical signals for social recognition
• Iridomyrmex [wikipedia]
• Meat ant [wikipedia]