Die Gäste der Ameisen: Wie Myrmecophile mit ihren Wirten interagieren

by Bert Hölldobler, Christina Kwapich

In diesem Buch erfahren Sie, wie Ameisenvölker, die für ihr komplexes kollektives Verhalten bekannt sind, von Myrmecophilen infiltriert werden. Schmetterlinge, Fliegen, Käfer, Grillen, Spinnen, Pilze und Bakterien haben im Laufe ihrer Evolutionsgeschichte eine Vielfalt von Taktiken entwickelt, die sie befähigen, in Ameisenkolonien einzudringen und z.T. das Kommunikationssystem der Ameisen zu entschlüsseln. Einigen myrmecophilen Arten gelingt die Täuschung so gut, dass die Wirtsameisen die ungebetenen Gäste nicht mehr von wahren Nestgenossinnen unterscheiden können. Dieser spannende Vorgang wird von den Autoren detailliert beschrieben, um Ihnen zu erläutern, wie die Myrmecophilen den Code knacken und anschließend die Reserven der Kolonie ausbeuten. Bert Hölldobler und Christina Kwapich zeigen eine Vielzahl von Verhaltensmechanismen auf, mit denen Myrmecophile Ameisen zu „unfreiwilligen Dienern“ machen. Dieses Werk richtet sich sowohl an Fachleute als auch an Naturbegeisterte mit entsprechendem Vorwissen.

Genres: Biology, Nature, Nonfiction

505 pages, Paperback

Published August 8, 2023

About the author

Bert Hölldobler is Foundation Professor at Arizona State University and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize. He lives in Arizona and Germany.

Reviews

[Mansoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the insect family Formicidae (ants) we find species where the nonreproductive members still have the full reproductive potential but, in the presence of a fertile queen, remain sterile. Should the queen wane in her fertility or die, individuals among the workers aggressively compete for reproductive ranks until one or a group of reproducing workers have established themselves. These egg-laying
workers (which have mated with some of their brothers) are now called gamergates. They are not called queens, because the queen caste is also morphologically defined."

"In all hymenopteran species (and all ants belong to the insect order Hymenoptera), males develop from unfertilized eggs."

[The Inquisitive Biologist · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Guests of Ants gives a beautifully illustrated, wide-ranging, and critical literature review of this delightful corner of myrmecology. Read my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2022...

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful exploration of the fascinating world of Ant Guests, those organisms that have made their way into ant colonies (or in/on the ants themselves). There are detailed case studies, tantalizing avenues for further study, and marvels on every page. The images are incredible and the stories of the myrmecophiles are often jaw-dropping. More of a sequel to "The Superorganism" in style and coverage than "The Ants". I plan to write a longer and more detailed review of this book for my blog: https://norfolknaturalist.ca/.

[Ellen Schoener · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning textbook on the animals living in symbiosis with ants- the parasites, commensals and mutualists.
As a parasitologist myself, who has recently started keeping ants as pets, this book is a true treasure trove. I could not have wished for more and it was totally fascinating.
The pictures are fantastic and simply stunning.
Wonderful book.