Antennae: the strongest magnetic part of the migratory ant

Authors: Wajnberg E.¹; Cernicchiaro G.²; Motta de Souza Esquivel D.²

Source: BioMetals, Volume 17, Number 4, August 2004 , pp. 467-470(4)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

Pachycondyla marginata (P.m.), a migratory and termitophageous ant, hunting only the termite species Neocapritermes opacus, migrates significantly oriented 13° with respect to the magnetic North-South axis. Results of hysteresis curves at room temperature of four Pachycondyla marginata heads, thorax, pairs of antennae and abdomens, oriented parallel to the magnetic field, indicate that the antennae give the strongest saturation magnetization, suggesting this sensory organ as being also a magnetic sensory organ. The total saturation magnetization in a whole P.m. is composed by 42±3%, 24±3%, 19±3% and 15±3% of antennae, head, thorax and abdomen contributions, respectively. The abdomen hysteresis curve presents a wasp-waisted loop with H_cr/H_c of 4.75, characteristic of mixed magnetic systems.

Keywords: migratory ant; magnetic material; pair of antennae

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:BIOM.0000029443.93732.62

Affiliations: 1: Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas, R. Xavier Sigaud 150, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil elianew@cbpf.br, Email: elianew@cbpf.br 2: Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas, R. Xavier Sigaud 150, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Publication date: 2004-08-01