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Ecol Lett

Title:		Cryptic termites avoid predatory ants by eavesdropping on vibrational cues from their footsteps
Author(s):		Oberst S; Bann G; Lai JC; Evans TA;
Address:		"Acoustics & Vibration Unit, School of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of New South Wales, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia. CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Clunies Ross Street, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia. Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia. School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia"
Journal Title:		Ecol Lett
Year:		2017
Volume:		20
Issue:		2
Page Number:		212 - 221
DOI:		10.1111/ele.12727
ISSN/ISBN:		1461-0248 (Electronic) 1461-023X (Linking)
Abstract:		"Eavesdropping has evolved in many predator-prey relationships. Communication signals of social species may be particularly vulnerable to eavesdropping, such as pheromones produced by ants, which are predators of termites. Termites communicate mostly by way of substrate-borne vibrations, which suggest they may be able to eavesdrop, using two possible mechanisms: ant chemicals or ant vibrations. We observed termites foraging within millimetres of ants in the field, suggesting the evolution of specialised detection behaviours. We found the termite Coptotermes acinaciformis detected their major predator, the ant Iridomyrmex purpureus, through thin wood using only vibrational cues from walking, and not chemical signals. Comparison of 16 termite and ant species found the ants-walking signals were up to 100 times higher than those of termites. Eavesdropping on passive walking signals explains the predator detection and foraging behaviours in this ancient relationship, which may be applicable to many other predator-prey relationships"
Keywords:		Animals Ants/physiology Biomechanical Phenomena *Cues Isoptera/*physiology Perception Predatory Behavior *Vibration Acoustic mimicry eusocial insects predator-prey relationship predatory ants termites' foraging vibrational communication walking signal;
Notes:		"MedlineOberst, Sebastian Bann, Glen Lai, Joseph C S Evans, Theodore A eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2017/01/24 Ecol Lett. 2017 Feb; 20(2):212-221. doi: 10.1111/ele.12727"