干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Using classical conditioning techniques, this study aims to determine what the ant Myrmica sabuleti can see and discriminate. It appears that workers see distinctly vertical as well as horizontal segments 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 15 mm wide and 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 15 cm long. They can also see distinctly horizontal segments (0.5x3 cm) located at 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 cm height, but do not see such a segment situated at 15 cm height. This allowed the assessment of their maximum distance of vision. Myrmica sabuleti workers also see distinctly vertical segments (0.5x3 cm) sloping backwards towards the horizontal at different angles (90, 60, 45, 30, 15 and 0degrees). Consequently, M. sabuleti workers see cues lying horizontally on the ground and have a stereovision of a portion of their environment. The species also see distinctly black circles of different sizes located horizontally above them. Thus, they are able to see distinctly slightly modified patterns located aside, below, above as well as before them, and have a small area of binocular vision that both eyes can look at. Myrmica sabuleti workers’ maximum distance of vision is directly proportional to the square root of the surface of the object observed. Consequently, the smallest vision angular subtense of an object needed to elicit a reaction in M. sabuleti workers is evaluated as being approximately 5 angular degrees.