150 
Psyche 
[Vol. 95 
Summary 
The communication behavior of seven Australian species of the 
genus Meranoplus was studied in the laboratory. All species exhib- 
ited basically the same recruitment communication during nest 
movements and recruitment to food sources. Scouts stimulate nest- 
mates by a vigorous body shaking behavior. They lay short lasting 
recruitment trails with secretions from the poison gland. Long last- 
ing trunk routes are apparently marked with relatively non-volatile 
secretions from the Dufour’s glands. All Meranoplus species studied 
have very large Dufour’s glands, stretching the whole length of the 
gaster. In comparison the poison gland is small. In at least one 
species the secretions of the Dufour’s gland also function as defen- 
sive secretions against enemies and predators. The nest area of 
Meranoplus is marked with colony specific chemical cues, which are 
probably contained in the fecal droplets. 
Acknowledgments 
Many thanks to N. F. Carlin, who read the manuscript, and to 
R. W. Taylor for identifying the ants. I am most grateful to R. W. 
Taylor and the Division of Entomology, CSIRO, Canberra 
(Australia) for their generous hospitality. This work was supported 
by grants from the National Science Foundation, the National 
Geographic Society and a fellowship from the John Simon 
Guggenheim Foundation. 
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