Antennae: the strongest magnetic part of the migratory ant.
Pachycondyla marginata (P.m.), a migratory and termitophageous ant, hunting only the termite species Neocapritermes opacus, migrates significantly oriented 13 degrees with respect to the magnetic North-South axis. Results of hysteresis curves at room temperature of four Pachycondyla marginata heads, thorax, pairs of antennae and abdomens, oriented parallel to the magnetic field, indicate that the antennae give the strongest saturation magnetization, suggesting this sensory organ as being also a magnetic sensory organ. The total saturation magnetization in a whole P.m. is composed by 42 +/- 3%, 24 +/- 3%, 19 +/- 3% and 15 +/- 3% of antennae, head, thorax and abdomen contributions, respectively. The abdomen hysteresis curve presents a wasp-waisted loop with Hcr/Hc of 4.75, characteristic of mixed magnetic systems.
Wajnberg
Eliane
E
Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas, R. Xavier Sigaud 150, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. elianew@cbpf.br
Cernicchiaro
Geraldo
G
Esquivel
Darci Motta de Souza
DM
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D025041:Animal Migration / Q000502:physiology*; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008280:Magnetics; D013696:Temperature