. Ants; their structure, development and behavior. conditionsand there is nothing to indicate that theinstinct disposition has undergone anyphylogenetic change. Wasmanns con-tention is disproved, as Escherich haspointed out, by the way in which the antsunearth the Lomechusa pupse. In his attempt to substitute amical for natural selection Wasmannalso overlooks the fact that ants live in opulence, to use Janets expres-sion, compared with solitary animals, and are therefore able to supporta host of parasites on what may be called their large margin of vitality,without serious danger to the existe
. Ants; their structure, development and behavior. conditionsand there is nothing to indicate that theinstinct disposition has undergone anyphylogenetic change. Wasmanns con-tention is disproved, as Escherich haspointed out, by the way in which the antsunearth the Lomechusa pupse. In his attempt to substitute amical for natural selection Wasmannalso overlooks the fact that ants live in opulence, to use Janets expres-sion, compared with solitary animals, and are therefore able to supporta host of parasites on what may be called their large margin of vitality,without serious danger to the existence of the species. In fact, thereis no essential difference between the behavior of F. sanguined towardsLomechusa and that of other hosts towards their respective parasitesof no matter how extreme a type, for all organisms nourish with theirjuices the parasites that manage to implant themselves in their tissue?,just as the ants feed the Lomechusa with regurgitated food. Was-manns objection would apply not only to all parasites but to all precla-. FIG. 247. Parasitic mites ofLasius (Janet.) ovalis fixed in its nor-mal position by an adhesiveuropod to the extensor surfaceof the middle femora of theLasius worker: B, Urodiscellaphiloctena in its normal posi-tion, attached by one of its fore-legs to the pectinated spur ofthe fore tibia of the Lasiusworker. 41- AXTS. ceous animals, for in both cases the victimized species exists at thepresent time only because it has great reproductive powers or a marginof redundant vitality which can be exploited by its enemies and para-sites ; and the survival of these enemies and parasites themselves inturn depends on their refraining from overstepping this margin. Inthe case of saiu/itinca the enormous reproductive powers of the speciesmust more than compensate for the destruction of colonies by theLomechusa. Ectoparasites. — With the Lomechusini we may close our accountof the true guests, although these include also sever
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectants, bookyear1910
