Tandem running
Encyclopedia
Tandem running is a method of recruitment
used by some species
of ant
s, such as Temnothorax albipennis
, to lead nestmates to food. It is dissimilar to other recruitment strategies used by social insects such as pheromone
trails, in that ants using tandem running can recruit only one worker at a time. During a tandem run, the worker leads the recruit, which maintains contact with the leader using her antennae
.
Recruitment (biology)
In biology, recruitment occurs when juvenile organisms survive to be added to a population. The term is generally used to refer to a stage whereby the organisms are settled and able to be detected by an observer....
used by some species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s, such as Temnothorax albipennis
Temnothorax albipennis
Temnothorax albipennis is a species of small ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It occurs in Europe and builds simple nests in rock crevices.-Description:...
, to lead nestmates to food. It is dissimilar to other recruitment strategies used by social insects such as pheromone
Pheromone
A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual...
trails, in that ants using tandem running can recruit only one worker at a time. During a tandem run, the worker leads the recruit, which maintains contact with the leader using her antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
.