title: Characterization of recruitment through tandem running in an Indian queenless antDiacamma indicum.
abstract: Tandem running is a primitive recruitment method employed by many ant genera. This study characterizes this behaviour during the recruitment of colony mates to a new nest in an Indian antDiacamma indicum. Tandem leaders who have knowledge of the new nest lead a single follower at a time, to the destination by maintaining physical contact. In order to characterize tandem running, we captured and analysed 621 invitations, 217 paths and 226 termination events. Remarkably, not a single colony member was lost. While invitations were stereotypic in behaviour, termination was not. Analysis of speed revealed that the average transport speed was 4.2 cm s-1. Coupled adult-brood transport was slower than other transports but was more efficient than individual trips. Comparing tandem running with other popular recruitment methods in ants allows us to postulate that even though tandem running is primitive it is probably just another means to achieve the same end.
authors.affiliation: Behaviour and Ecology Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, India; Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Johannes von Müller Weg 6, 55099 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Rajbir
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Center for Neural and Cognitive Sciences , University of Hyderabad , Hyderabad 500046 , India.
authors.forename: Joby
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Behaviour and Ecology Lab, Department of Biological Sciences , Indian Institute of Science Education and Research , Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246 , India.
authors.forename: Karunakaran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anoop
authors.affiliation: Behaviour and Ecology Lab, Department of Biological Sciences , Indian Institute of Science Education and Research , Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246 , India.
authors.forename: Annagiri
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0257-844X
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sumana
keywords: Diacamma indicum; communication; direct recruitment; path efficiency; tandem running speed