Chapter 15 The Specialized Predators Summary

The chapter begins with some exuberant field notes of successful discoveries of peculiar new ant species or radical feeding behaviors. The general biological process of the evolution of prey specialization is described, with a focus on how much of this information originated in ant studies. A chart summarizes prey specialization among ants, organized by subfamily. The chart includes the prey item, and available citations.

The evolution of the Dacetine ants (tribe Dacetini includes 24 genera and 250 species and has nearly worldwide distribution) is described in detail, including field study summaries. The correlation of the evolution of social behavior with species-level adaptations in feeding is considered in particular.

Egg predator strategies are discussed. Termite predator strategies are described, including a description of several physiological adaptations typically found in termite predators. Prey paralysis and storage are considered in general terms...