414 
Psyche 
[December 
the typical “calling” pattern in Leptothorax and the related Myrmi- 
cine genera where it has been observed. As in those cases, the sting is 
clearly exserted during the “calling” process, but Holldobler (Holl- 
dobler and Haskins, 1977) has clearly demonstrated that here the 
newly-described tergal gland, strongly developed in Rhytidoponera 
is an important, if not the sole, source of the pheromone. 2 
With Rhytidoponera, as with Amblyopone, the behavior is 
evidently only of sexual significance. No evidence of any worker- 
worker recruiting has been obtained for either genus. 
It seems of real interest that the “calling” behavior seems to be 
well established, entirely in a sexual context, at so primitive a grade 
of Formicid evolution. It is particularly interesting that it should be 
so clearly demonstrated within the Ectatommini, a division of the 
Ponerinae which, on morphological grounds, is thought to be fairly 
close to the main evolutionary stem leading from the Ponerinae to 
the Myrmicinae. Finally, the nature of the colonies and the nuptial 
flights of both Amblyopone and Rhytidoponera emphasizes a 
reflection of Buschinger, who has suggested (1975) that there may 
well be a correlation between the “use” of male mandibular-gland- 
derived sex pheromones in the mediation of highly coordinated 
massive mating swarms and of female sex pheromones, derived 
from sting or Dufours glands, in smaller, poorly coordinated 
“straggling” colony flights. The former are characteristic of ant 
species forming large closely-knit communities, the latter of those 
existing in smaller, more diffuse, less highly integrated communities 
of species which are often more rare. Though none of the species 
considered here is especially rare, all do form typically scattered, 
rather feebly integrated communities having inconspicuous and 
essentially uncoordinated nuptial flights. 
Literature Cited 
Buschinger, A. 
1968. “Locksterzeln” begattungsbereiter ergatoider Weiber von Harpagoxenus 
sublaevis NYL. (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Experientia 24: 297. 
1971a. “Locksterzeln” und Kopula der sozialparasitischen Amiese Leptothorax 
kutteri Buschiner (Hym., Form.). Zool. Anz. 186 : 242-248. 
1971b. Weitere Untersuchen zum Begattungsverhalten sozialparasitischer Amei- 
sen ( Harpagoxenus sublaevis Nyl. und Doronomyrmex pads Kutter, 
Hym., Formicidae). Zool. Anz. 187 : 184-198. 
2 An extensive paper by B. Holldobler and H. Engel on tergal and sternal glands in 
ants is included in this issue of Psyche. 
