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First published online January 31, 2007
Journal of Experimental Biology 210, 570-577 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02678

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Acquiring, retaining and integrating memories of the outbound distance in the Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti

Ajay Narendra^1,2,*, Ken Cheng² and Rüdiger Wehner³

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
² Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
³ Department of Zoology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

^* Author for correspondence at present address: Centre for Visual Sciences, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, PO Box 475, Biology Place, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia (e-mail: ajay.narendra{at}gmail.com)

Accepted 4 December 2006

Estimation of distance travelled (odometry) forms a vital part of navigation for solitarily foraging ants. In this study we investigated the properties of odometric memory in the Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti. Ants were trained to travel in linear channels to a feeder placed at 6 m or 12 m from the nest. We determined if the ability to estimate distances accurately increased with experience. We also determined the delay at which the odometric memory started to decay at both these distances. Ants with six trials of experience did not get better at estimating distances and the odometric memory decayed after a 24 h delay. We then determined if ants integrated their latest odometric memory with their previous memories. We did this by training two groups of ants for five trials, one group to 6 m and another to 12 m, and then halving or doubling the outbound distance on their sixth trip, respectively. The ant's estimate was noted when the ants were released either immediately or after a 24 h delay. Ants always estimated their last outbound distance when released immediately. However, they switched to route-based navigation rather than estimating distances after a 24 h delay (at which time their odometric memory would have decayed).

Key words: ant, distance estimation, acquisition, memory decay, integration, navigation, Melophorus bagoti

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				A. Narendra Homing strategies of the Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti I. Proportional path-integration takes the ant half-way home J. Exp. Biol., May 15, 2007; 210(10): 1798 - 1803. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]