@article{10.11648/j.aje.20220602.13,
  author = {Mohamed Basile Moumite and Patrick Steve Tuekam-Kowa and Rameline Prudence Guetsop-Ngouadjie and Sedrick Junior Tsekane and Boris Fouelifack-Nintidem and Miric Biawa Kagmegni and Babelle Ngamaleu-Siewe and Edith Laure Kenne and Romaine Magloire Fantio and Abel Kayoum Yomon and Jeanne Aggripine Yetchom-Fondjo and Armand Didier Foguieng-Saha and Paul Serge Mbenoun Masse and Martin Kenne and Abraham Fomena},
  title = {Nesting System and Foraging Behaviour of Crematogaster (Nematocrema) stadelmanni Mayr, 1895 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Douala (Littoral-Cameroon)},
  journal = {American Journal of Entomology},
  volume = {6},
  number = {2},
  pages = {27-42},
  doi = {10.11648/j.aje.20220602.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aje.20220602.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.aje.20220602.13},
  abstract = {Nesting system, diet behaviour, activity rhythm and predatory behaviour of Crematogaster (Nematocrema) stadelmanni Mayr, 1895 were studied in the field situation in suburbs of Douala (Littoral-Cameroon). Polycalic and polydomous nesting system were recorded. Large independent nests were positioned on the bark surface of trunks (50.8%) or the underside bark of the fork of large branches (49.2%) of cultivated or wild trees (45.8% and 54.2% respectively). Workers collected nectar from 18 plants from eight families: Asteraceae, Costaceae, Ehretiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Mimosaceae Phyllantaceae, Poaceae and Rutaceae. They collected honeydew from Aleyrodidae and four Hemipteran families from Sternorrhyncha suborder: Aphididae, Coccidae Pseudococcidae and Stictococcidae. These Hemipterans proliferated on 11 plant families: Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Costaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, Poaceae, Rutaceae, Solanaceae and Urticaceae. Solid particles brought back to the nest were mostly from plants (72.5%) and weakly preys (27.5%). Sugary liquids were preferred over fats, carbohydrate sources, and even preys. Products were collected continuously (day and night) in the foliage of the host plant and neighbouring plants, shrubs and grasses. Workers occasionally brought back to the nest dead or dying larvae of grasshoppers and small particles of other arthropods (ants, flies, caterpillars). The sequence of behavioural acts recorded during the capture of larvae of Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) and adults of Zonocerus variegatus (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae) (3 to 5 mm and 15 to 20 mm long respectively) were compared. The main sequence presented succession of seven acts: (1) detection by contact; (2) antennation; (3) attack-seizure; (4) short-range recruitment of nestmates in the vicinity; (5) spread-eagling of preys; (6) cutting up the prey on the spot; and (7) transport of pieces or whole prey to the nest. The stinging phase was not recorded. The duration of the capture of small prey (66 min. to 1 hr. 25 sec.; mean ± se: 1 hr. 57 min. 25 sec. ± 12 min. 2 sec.; 10 essays) was lower than that of large preys (2 hrs. 33 sec. to 4 hrs. 16 sec.; 2 hrs. 58 min. 32 sec. ± 17 min. 15 sec.; 10 essays; Mann-Withney test: T = 72.00; p = 0.014). The long duration of captures suggested that spread-eagling and cutting up preys on the spot lasted a long time. Cr. stadelmanni is a poor predator indirectly harmful for wild or cultivated trees since their predatory aptitude is low compared to aggressive dominant arboreal-nesting ants and is counterbalanced by the propensity to honeydew.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Nesting System and Foraging Behaviour of Crematogaster (Nematocrema) stadelmanni Mayr, 1895 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Douala (Littoral-Cameroon)
AU  - Mohamed Basile Moumite
AU  - Patrick Steve Tuekam-Kowa
AU  - Rameline Prudence Guetsop-Ngouadjie
AU  - Sedrick Junior Tsekane
AU  - Boris Fouelifack-Nintidem
AU  - Miric Biawa Kagmegni
AU  - Babelle Ngamaleu-Siewe
AU  - Edith Laure Kenne
AU  - Romaine Magloire Fantio
AU  - Abel Kayoum Yomon
AU  - Jeanne Aggripine Yetchom-Fondjo
AU  - Armand Didier Foguieng-Saha
AU  - Paul Serge Mbenoun Masse
AU  - Martin Kenne
AU  - Abraham Fomena
Y1  - 2022/05/31
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aje.20220602.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.aje.20220602.13
T2  - American Journal of Entomology
JF  - American Journal of Entomology
JO  - American Journal of Entomology
SP  - 27
EP  - 42
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2640-0537
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aje.20220602.13
AB  - Nesting system, diet behaviour, activity rhythm and predatory behaviour of Crematogaster (Nematocrema) stadelmanni Mayr, 1895 were studied in the field situation in suburbs of Douala (Littoral-Cameroon). Polycalic and polydomous nesting system were recorded. Large independent nests were positioned on the bark surface of trunks (50.8%) or the underside bark of the fork of large branches (49.2%) of cultivated or wild trees (45.8% and 54.2% respectively). Workers collected nectar from 18 plants from eight families: Asteraceae, Costaceae, Ehretiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Mimosaceae Phyllantaceae, Poaceae and Rutaceae. They collected honeydew from Aleyrodidae and four Hemipteran families from Sternorrhyncha suborder: Aphididae, Coccidae Pseudococcidae and Stictococcidae. These Hemipterans proliferated on 11 plant families: Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Costaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, Poaceae, Rutaceae, Solanaceae and Urticaceae. Solid particles brought back to the nest were mostly from plants (72.5%) and weakly preys (27.5%). Sugary liquids were preferred over fats, carbohydrate sources, and even preys. Products were collected continuously (day and night) in the foliage of the host plant and neighbouring plants, shrubs and grasses. Workers occasionally brought back to the nest dead or dying larvae of grasshoppers and small particles of other arthropods (ants, flies, caterpillars). The sequence of behavioural acts recorded during the capture of larvae of Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) and adults of Zonocerus variegatus (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae) (3 to 5 mm and 15 to 20 mm long respectively) were compared. The main sequence presented succession of seven acts: (1) detection by contact; (2) antennation; (3) attack-seizure; (4) short-range recruitment of nestmates in the vicinity; (5) spread-eagling of preys; (6) cutting up the prey on the spot; and (7) transport of pieces or whole prey to the nest. The stinging phase was not recorded. The duration of the capture of small prey (66 min. to 1 hr. 25 sec.; mean ± se: 1 hr. 57 min. 25 sec. ± 12 min. 2 sec.; 10 essays) was lower than that of large preys (2 hrs. 33 sec. to 4 hrs. 16 sec.; 2 hrs. 58 min. 32 sec. ± 17 min. 15 sec.; 10 essays; Mann-Withney test: T = 72.00; p = 0.014). The long duration of captures suggested that spread-eagling and cutting up preys on the spot lasted a long time. Cr. stadelmanni is a poor predator indirectly harmful for wild or cultivated trees since their predatory aptitude is low compared to aggressive dominant arboreal-nesting ants and is counterbalanced by the propensity to honeydew.
VL  - 6
IS  - 2
ER  - 

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