Function and generality of sounds emitted by ant larvae

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23657012
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Ecology/Environment
Research Institution	Hokkaido University
Principal Investigator	HIGASHI Seigo 北海道大学, 名誉教授 (90133777)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2012
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2012)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000) Fiscal Year 2012: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000) Fiscal Year 2011: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Keywords	行動生態 / 社会性昆虫 / コミュニケーション / アリ / 幼虫
Research Abstract	In the first year, I developed a portable recording video system of high quality to investigate the role of sound communication in ant colonies. Noise sound was intercepted by double-layer transparent plastic boards enclosing a small space where the insects were reared. The space was floored with a plastic paraffin paper connected with a microphone. This apparatus was put in a soundproof box with LED illumination and clear-vision video camera fixed on the box wall with a sound-absorbent sponge. I used it to collect sounds of myrmecophiles (e.g. Nyphanda larvae) and myrmicine ants including leaf-cutting ants Atta spp. which showed a high level of labor division and might be adopting sounds even for bilateral exchange ofinformation, which seemed analogous to our language.