Abstract:
The African termite-raiding ant Pachycondyla analis Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
organizes group raids on termites of the sub-family Macrotermitinae. Termites and ants occupy
and share similar habitats, resulting in a co-evolutionary arms race between termites
as prey and ants as predators. The present study explored whether P. analis uses semiochemical
signaling cues to detect potential termite prey prior to and during raids. Ants’
responses to odors emitted from termites alone, termite gallery soil, and termites inside
their galleries were tested using Y-tube olfactometer assays. The results showed that P. analis
detected odors of termites and those of their galleries, and odors from termites inside
their galleries were more attractive to both minor and major ant workers than odors from
termites alone. The composition of these odor sources was identified using gas chromatography-
mass spectrometry analysis. While the odors from termite gallery soils were
compositionally richer (containing 13 compounds rather than nine from termites alone),
those from the termites alone were quantitatively richer, releasing about six times more
odors than gallery soil. Most of the compounds in the odor profiles were identified as hydrocarbons.
Naphthalene, previously identified as an insect repellent, was also identified as
a component of the odors from the gallery soil. These results demonstrate that odors play an
important role in prey detection by P. analis.
