Cephalotes alfaroi

Short description: Species of ant

Cephalotes alfaroi

Cephalotes alfaroi worker
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Arthropoda
Class:  | Insecta
Order:  | Hymenoptera
Family:  | Formicidae
Subfamily:  | Myrmicinae
Genus:  | Cephalotes
Species:  |

C. alfaroi

Binomial name
Cephalotes alfaroi

(Emery, 1890)

Cephalotes alfaroi is a species of arboreal ant of the genus Cephalotes, characterized by an odd shaped head and the ability to "parachute" by steering their fall if they drop off of the tree they're on. Giving their name also as gliding ants.[1][2]

The major components of the mandibular gland secretion of C. alfaroi are 4-hepanone and 4-heptanol. Ant alarm pheromones from mandibular gland secretions usually results in an aggressive behaviour. However, ants of the genus Cephalotes are usually unaggressive and use a submissive defences, that includes stopping and lying flat on the surface when alarmed. When worker of C. alfaroi were exposed to crushed ant heads, 4-heptanone, 4-heptanol, or a mixture of these chemicals, they assumed a non-aggressive response. [3]

## References

1. ↑ Latreille, P.A. (1802). Histoire naturelle, generale et particuliere des crustaces et des insectes. Vol. 3. F. Dufart, Paris. 467 pp. PDF
2. ↑ Yanoviak, S. P.; Munk, Y.; Dudley, R. (2011). "Evolution and Ecology of Directed Aerial Descent in Arboreal Ants". Integrative and Comparative Biology 51 (6): 944–956. doi:10.1093/icb/icr006. PMID 21562023.
3. ↑ Wood, William F.; Hoang, Thuy-Tien; McGlynn, Terrence P. (2011). "Volatile components from the mandibular glands of the turtle ants, Cephalotes alfaroi and C. cristatus". Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 39: 135-138. doi:10.1016/j.bse.2011.01.013.

## External links

Wikidata ☰ Q5063349 entry

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