BIOTIC ASSOCIATIONS OF COCKROACHES — ROTH & WILLIS 3I3 



Acromyrmex octospinosus (Reich) 

 Synonymy. — Atta octospinosa [Brown, p.c, 1957]. 

 Commensals. — Attaphila fungicola, Panama (Wheeler, 1928) : 

 Taken in the fungus gardens of the ant. 



Attaphila aptera, Esperanza, Dibulla, Colombia (Bolivar, 1905). 



Acromyrmex silvestrii Emery 



Commensal. — Attaphila hergi, or possibly a variety of this species, 

 San Luis Province, Argentina (Bruch, 1916) : According to Bruch, 

 the behavior of this species of Attaphila is identical with the one en- 

 countered in Huasan in the nests of Acromyrmex lobicornis Emery ; 

 it differed from A. hergi in size and color. 



Atta cephalotes (Linnaeus) 



Commensal. — Attaphila fungicola, British Guiana (Wheeler, 

 1928) : Taken in the fungus gardens of the ant. 



Attaphila sp., British Guiana (Beebe, 1921) : 7 of 12 queens in one 

 nest had cockroaches hanging on them. 



Atta sexdens (Linnaeus) 



Commensal. — Attaphila sexdentis, Brazil, San Leopoldo (Bolivar, 

 1905) : Found in nests of the ant. 



Atta texana (Buckley) 



Synonymy. — Atta fervens Say [Wheeler, 1910]. 



Commensal. — Attaphila fungicola, U.S.A., Texas (Wheeler, 1900, 

 1910) : The cockroach does not feed on the fungus in the ants' nest, 

 as Wheeler (1900) first supposed, but mounts the back of the soldiers 

 and licks their surfaces. It is tolerated by the ants with no signs of 

 hostility. The antennae of the cockroach are clipped short. Although 

 Wheeler (1910) stated that this is probably accidental or uninten- 

 tional, it is peculiar that Bolivar (1905) noticed the same invariable 

 mutilation of the antennae of Attaphila hergi. Wheeler (1900) had 

 originally suggested that the antennae were probably clipped off by the 

 ants which are continuously trimming the fungus hyphae. Louisiana 

 (Moser, personal communication, 1959) : Numerous specimens were 

 encountered in some nests of A. texana. This cockroach is the most 

 closely associated inquiline in the nest and maintains very intimate 

 terms with the ants. It is found living in the fungus cavities and 

 tunnels. 



