Behavior and functional ecology of the African termite-raiding ant

Abstract

Ants and termites play important roles in tropical ecosystems, leading to an evolutionary arms race in which diverse foraging, predation, and counterpredation strategies developed. These strategies resulted in the emergence of specialized predators of termites, such as the African termite-raiding ant, Megaponera analis, which organizes coordinated raids on termites of agricultural importance belonging to the subfamily Macrotermitinae. Decades of field and laboratory studies have examined the natural history of M. analis, describing its distribution, raiding behavior, chemical ecology, task allocation, rescue and other helping behaviors, and nursing of wounds. However, the potential of M. analis for the management of termites is yet to be explored. This review synthesizes the literature on M. analis, outlines recent progress in understanding its ecology, identifies knowledge gaps, and proposes directions for future research and possible applications of the knowledge to different fields.