Resumo

HENRIQUES, Alda Loureiro  e  FOURCASSIE, Vincent. Interaction between visual and olfactory stimulus modalities in the spatial orientation of formica rufa worker ants (Hymenoptera; Formicidae). Rev. etol. [online]. 2006, vol.8, n.2, pp.51-61. ISSN 1517-2805.

Formica rufa worker ants use chemical and visual stimulation for spatial orientation. This work aimed to verify the contribution of these sensorial modalities in experimental situations in which one kind of pertinent stimulation was removed or modified. In the first experience, which served as comparison to the next ones, the ants were released in an unchanged environment concerning to the familiar situation. In the second experience, a curtain was placed between the experimental apparatus and the visual stimulation in the room. In the third experience, the whole apparatus was rotated 180 degrees. Each of these experiences was followed by one similar experience with respect to all parameters, except the chemical clue, which was discontinued in a certain point. We conclude that (1) the worker ants could orientate correctly using only one of the sensorial modalities; (2) they did not use visual information from the ceiling, and (3) they have learned to move using contextualized orientation: towards food or towards the nest.

Palavras-chave : Spatial orientation; Sensorial modalities; Formica rufa.

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