Diversity abundance and foraging behavior of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) scavenging on American cockroach in various habitats of Nasarawa State Nigeria

Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid, . and Ashigar Mohammed Ahmed, . Diversity abundance and foraging behavior of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) scavenging on American cockroach in various habitats of Nasarawa State Nigeria. pp. 503-521. ISSN 1511-3701

Ants play a vital role in removing dead arthropods from the environment. Complex foraging patterns are used by ants to locate food items and overwhelm even larger insects such as cockroach. Consequently the biotic interaction between the ants and the American cockroach Periplaneta americana another home infesting and a vector of major foodborne diseases may lead to microbial handover and ease the spread of mechanically transmitted human pathogenic microbes. This study was done to determine the diversity and abundance of cockroach-foraging ants in Nasarawa State Nigeria. Ten households were randomly selected from 14 locations: 5 residential communities from three most urbanized areas (Lafia Akwanga and Keffi) and 5 rural communities. Four remaining locations were nonresidential from Lafia and Akwanga respectively. A total of 1 364 ants belonging to three subfamilies (Myrmicinae Formicinae and Ponerinae) were collected from 140 households. Pheidole rugaticeps Emery recorded the highest relative abundance (52) followed by Pheidole decarinata Santschi (16) Pheidole sp. (17) Camponotus maculatus (7) Paratrechina longicornis (7) while both Crematogaster sp. and Brachyponera sennaarensis recorded the lowest relative abundance (1). There is a significant difference in the species diversity between the urban and the rural communities. Pheidole rugaticeps P. decarinata Pheidole sp. and P. longicornis were more organized in foraging and operating in group by recruiting nest-mate for collecting fragments of dead cockroach. Studies on the epidemiology conservation implications and biocontrol potentials of these Pheidole species are recommended.

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Abstract

Ants play a vital role in removing dead arthropods from the environment. Complex foraging patterns are used by ants to locate food items and overwhelm even larger insects such as cockroach. Consequently the biotic interaction between the ants and the American cockroach Periplaneta americana another home infesting and a vector of major foodborne diseases may lead to microbial handover and ease the spread of mechanically transmitted human pathogenic microbes. This study was done to determine the diversity and abundance of cockroach-foraging ants in Nasarawa State Nigeria. Ten households were randomly selected from 14 locations: 5 residential communities from three most urbanized areas (Lafia Akwanga and Keffi) and 5 rural communities. Four remaining locations were nonresidential from Lafia and Akwanga respectively. A total of 1 364 ants belonging to three subfamilies (Myrmicinae Formicinae and Ponerinae) were collected from 140 households. Pheidole rugaticeps Emery recorded the highest relative abundance (52) followed by Pheidole decarinata Santschi (16) Pheidole sp. (17) Camponotus maculatus (7) Paratrechina longicornis (7) while both Crematogaster sp. and Brachyponera sennaarensis recorded the lowest relative abundance (1). There is a significant difference in the species diversity between the urban and the rural communities. Pheidole rugaticeps P. decarinata Pheidole sp. and P. longicornis were more organized in foraging and operating in group by recruiting nest-mate for collecting fragments of dead cockroach. Studies on the epidemiology conservation implications and biocontrol potentials of these Pheidole species are recommended.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Ants
AGROVOC Term:	Hymenoptera
AGROVOC Term:	Identification
AGROVOC Term:	Insect pests
AGROVOC Term:	Cockroaches
AGROVOC Term:	Periplaneta americana
AGROVOC Term:	Foraging
AGROVOC Term:	Species diversity
AGROVOC Term:	Population density
Depositing User:	Mr. AFANDI ABDUL MALEK
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 00:55
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/9540

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