Leafcutter Ant (Atta cephalotes) Fact Sheet: Physical Characteristics

• See Bibliography sources and online descriptions (e.g., AntWeb, AntCat)

Vision

• Visual system of A. cephalotes labor groups adapted to different working conditions (Arganda et al. 2020)
  • Below-ground workers have smaller eyes with high visual sensitivity
    • For working more time in the dark
  • Above-ground workers have larger eyes with high acuity (ability to recognize detail)
    • Sensitive to light
    • Adapted to bright light in the rainforest

Smell

• See "Olfactory communication"

Vibratory organ

• Special organ on abdomen (gaster) produces vibrations (e.g., Markl 1965; Tautz et al. 1995; Roces and Hölldobler 1996; Wirth et al. 2003; Hölldobler and Wilson 2009; Hölldobler and Wilson 2011, and as noted)
  • Scraping structure rubs against a file-like structure
• Increases leaf-cutting efficiency (Tautz et al. 1995)
  • Vibrations transferred to the leaf reduce force and energy needed to cut plant material
• Vibrations summon help from nestmates, in tandem with pheromones (Roces and Hölldobler 1995; Hölldobler and Wilson 2009; Hölldobler and Wilson 2011, and as noted)
  • Recruit nestmates to food resources and possibly for nest building
  • Recruit small minim workers to hitchhike on leaves to defend larger foragers against parasitic flies
    • See "Defense"
  • Alarm communication (Markl 1965)
    • Solicit help while fighting or restrained
    • Signal need for rescue, such as when buried under soil

Other senses

• Atta colombica able to detect magnetic fields (Banks and Srygley 2003; Riveros and Srygley 2008; Riveros et al. 2014)
  • Not yet investigated in A. cephalotes

Close-up view of a leafcutter ant's head and legs.

Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.