Ectatomma ruidum is a Neotropical species of ant in the subfamily Ectatomminae.
| Ectatomma ruidum | |
|---|---|
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| Ectatomma ruidum worker from Venezuela | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Genus: | Ectatomma |
| Species: | E. ruidum
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| Binomial name | |
| Ectatomma ruidum (Roger, 1860)
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Habitat and distribution
editThe species is found from southern Mexico to Brazil, from sea level to an altitude of 1500–1600 m, and is dominant in several ecosystems such as forests, or economically important cultivated areas. It is diurnal, earth-dwelling and nests in the soil. A study by Vásquez-Ordóñez et al. (2012) showed that a lower density of E. ruidum nests was found in the woodlands compared to the grasslands. These observations are consistent with those for the departments of Valle del Cauca and Cauca, but not for La Guajira, a drier region in the extreme north of Colombia, where a high abundance of E. ruidum nests was found in areas with higher presence of trees.[1]
Parasitism
editTwo species of Kapala (Eucharitidae) have been reported to parasitize this ant in Mexico, and parasitism of E. ruidum by Kapala sp. is also known from Colombia.[1]
Kleptoparasitism
editEctatomma ruidum is reported to engage heavily in kleptoparasitism (thievery) of food from neighbouring nests.[2] To achieve this, specialised workers mimic the cuticular hydrocarbon profile of the target nest.
References
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This article incorporates text from a scholarly publication published under a copyright license that allows anyone to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the materials in any form for any purpose: Vásquez-Ordóñez, A. A. S.; Armbrecht, I.; Pérez-Lachaud, G. (2012). "Effect of Habitat Type on Parasitism of Ectatomma ruidum by Eucharitid Wasps". Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. 2012: 1–7. doi:10.1155/2012/170483. Please check the source for the exact licensing terms.- This article incorporates text from a scholarly publication published under a copyright license that allows anyone to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the materials in any form for any purpose: Breed, M. D.; Snyder, L. E.; Lynn, T. L.; Morhart, J. A. (1992). "Acquired chemical camouflage in a tropical ant". Animal Behaviour. 44: 519–523. doi:10.1016/0003-3472(92)90060-M. Please check the source for the exact licensing terms.
External links
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Media related to Ectatomma ruidum at Wikimedia Commons
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