Social Life in Arid Environments: The Case Study of Cataglyphis Ants
- Annu Rev Entomol. 2017 Jan 31:62:305-321. doi: 10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-034941.
- 1. Le Studium Loire Valley Institute for Advanced Studies, 45000 Orléans, France; email: [email protected].
- 2. Institute of Insect Biology, Tours University, 37200 Tours, France.
- 3. Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050, Belgium.
- 4. Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, 41092 Seville, Spain.
- 5. Institute of Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity, CNRS, UPMC, EPHE, MNHN, 75005 Paris, France.
- 6. School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QG, United Kingdom.
- 7. Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel.
- 8. UMR 7618, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, 75252 Paris, France.
Unlike most desert-dwelling Animals, Cataglyphis ants do not attempt to escape the heat; rather, they apply their impressive heat tolerance to avoid competitors and predators. This thermally defined niche has promoted a range of adaptations both at the individual and colony levels. We have also recently discovered that within the genus Cataglyphis there are incredibly diverse social systems, modes of reproduction, and dispersal, prompting the tantalizing question of whether social diversity may also be a consequence of the harsh environment within which we find these charismatic ants. Here we review recent advances regarding the physiological, behavioral, life-history, colony, and ecological characteristics of Cataglyphis and consider perspectives on future research that will build our understanding of organic adaptive responses to desertification.