title: Foraging, recruitment and predation by Decamorium uelense (Sanstchi) (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) on termites in Southern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria.
abstract: The myrmicine ant Decamorium uelense is a predator of small termites which feed inside their food sources of roots and plant debris. The ant uses a specialized recruitment regime to secure its prey. A scout ant searches for foraging termites and returns to the nest where it recruits a column of 10-30 ants which attack and immobilize the termites. A mass recruitment phase is then instigated, with larger numbers of ants retrieving the prey. The major prey item is Microtermes (consumed at an annual rate of 632 termites m-2), with other small termites accounting for 0.5% of the total predation. The annual predation of Microtermes in primary savanna woodland by D. uelense removes 74% of the standing population.
authors.affiliation: Termite Research Project, Agricultural Research Station, Mokwa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longhurst
authors.affiliation: Termite Research Project, Agricultural Research Station, Mokwa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Termite Research Project, Agricultural Research Station, Mokwa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Wood