Pretarsus structure in relation to climbing ability in the ants Brachyponera sennaarensis and Daceton armigerum

Abstract

We studied the external and internal pretarsus structure of the ants Brachyponera sennaarensis and Daceton armigerum in relation to their very different climbing ability. B. sennaarensis is a ground-dwelling species that is not able to climb vertical smooth walls. They have a pair of straight pretarsal claws with an average claw tip angle of 56 degrees, while the ventral tarsal surface lacks fine hairs that touch the substrate. They have no adhesive pad on the vestigial arolium, while the arolium gland is very small. D. armigerum, on the other hand, is an arboreal and thus well-climbing species with a very strong grip on the substrate. Their pretarsal claws are very hooked, with a claw tip angle around 75 degrees. They have dense arrays of fine hairs on the ventral tarsal surface, a well-developed arolium and arolium gland. These clearly different morphological characteristics are in line with the opposite climbing performance of both species.