Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marilia Freire, Antonio Bollig, Markus Knaden
Summary: The elements in the drawings are recyclable and reusable materials, which can be used by artificial intelligence to generate new drawing designs.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Abbas Fathtabar, Ataollah Ebrahimzadeh, Javad Kazemitabar
Summary: In recent decades, numerous algorithms have been proposed to solve optimization problems, some of which are inspired by nature. The collective behavior of ants, which demonstrates intelligence in nature, has served as a source of inspiration for optimization algorithms. Building upon the concept of path integration, this paper presents a new optimization algorithm, Ant Path Integration, by modeling the swarm intelligence of desert ants in finding their return path to the nest.
NEURAL COMPUTING & APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Experimental
Phillip M. Newman, Timothy P. McNamara
Summary: Recent studies have shown that optimal integration of multiple landmark cues depends on task difficulty, with the presence of multiple landmarks eliciting an additional latent cue when estimating locations from a ground-level perspective, but not from an aerial perspective.
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Sebastian Salata, Jakovos Demetriou, Christos Georgiadis, Lech Borowiec
Summary: The comprehensive survey of the ant fauna in Cyprus discovered two new endemic species of the genus Cataglyphis. One species is found exclusively in the high montane pine forest of Mt. Chionistra, belonging to the cursor group, while the other species is common in low and mid altitudes in open habitats or luminous pine forests, belonging to the nodus group. This study also provides a key to Cataglyphis species in Cyprus and the first synopsis of all known members of the cursor and nodus groups in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Article
Neurosciences
Torgeir Waaga, Haggai Agmon, Valentin A. Normand, Anne Nagelhus, Richard J. Gardner, May-Britt Moser, Edvard Moser, Yoram Burak
Summary: The representation of an animal's position in the medial entorhinal cortex is distributed across several modules of grid cells, and the activity patterns of these modules are tightly coordinated, even in darkness when the sensory cues are disrupted. This suggests that internal brain mechanisms dynamically coordinate the representation of position in different modules to ensure a coherent trajectory.
Article
Biology
Camille Mirmiran, Maia Fraser, Leonard Maler
Summary: This study analyzed the behavior of pulse-type gymnotiform weakly electric fish during foraging in a dark arena and found that after spatial learning, the fish exhibited smoother trajectories and head turns, but still chose variable curved paths instead of a direct route to the food.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Massimo De Agro, Chiara Matschunas, Tomer J. Czaczkes
Summary: This study reveals the influence of bundling effects on ants. It demonstrates that even insects are affected by bundling effects, highlighting the universality of this phenomenon.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stanley Heinze
Summary: Research shows that fruit flies can track multiple food patches simultaneously, using the center of gravity of all food sites as a reference point for their path integrator.
Article
Biology
Thomas S. Collett, Andrew O. Philippides
Summary: Wood ants can learn routes using magnetic directional cues, but their performance can be affected by competing directional cues. Additionally, there is evidence that ants develop magnetically directed home and food vectors based on path integration. However, ants perform worse than honeybees in utilizing magnetic information contextually.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Cody A. Freas, Marcia L. Spetch
Summary: The study found that foragers rely on a cross-sensory interaction between pheromone cues and the celestial compass to orient correctly during their journey back to the nest. Pheromone cues trigger distinct behaviors, while the celestial compass provides directional information. Foragers are capable of navigating back to the nest even without pheromone cues, relying on a memory of the celestial compass.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY A-NEUROETHOLOGY SENSORY NEURAL AND BEHAVIORAL PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Aziz Subach, Bar Avidov, Arik Dorfman, Darar Bega, Tomer Gilad, Mark Kvetny, May Hershkovitz Reshef, Susanne Foitzik, Inon Scharf
Summary: Experience has limited contribution to foraging success under direct competition, and its impact depends on the size of the group; among groups of equal size, ants trained in complex mazes reach food rewards faster and more individuals feed on the food.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jens Habenstein, Franziska Schmitt, Sander Liessem, Alice Ly, Dennis Trede, Christian Wegener, Reinhard Predel, Wolfgang Rossler, Susanne Neupert
Summary: This study identified neuropeptides in the Cataglyphis nodus ants and characterized their spatial distribution in the ant brain using advanced imaging techniques. The research provides a foundation for future studies on behavioral transitions and the functional role of neuropeptides in Cataglyphis ants.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Louise Bestea, Marco Paoli, Patrick Arrufat, Brice Ronsin, Julie Carcaud, Jean-Christophe Sandoz, Rodrigo Velarde, Martin Giurfa, Maria Gabriela de Brito Sanchez
Summary: Honeybees possess impressive learning and memory capabilities during foraging activities and rely on a sophisticated social organization. Investigating the neural mechanisms behind honeybees' foraging motivation is crucial for both scientific and economic reasons. In a recent study, a team of researchers from various disciplines explored the role of a neuropeptide called sNPF in regulating honeybees' responses to food and food-related stimuli.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yijia Yan, Neil Burgess, Andrej Bicanski
Summary: This study presents a computational model explaining how visual feedback can stabilize head direction (HD) information in environments with multiple cues of varying stability and directional specificity. The model predicts neurons with a unimodal encoding of the egocentric orientation of landmark arrays, allowing the landmark bearing signal to disconnect from directionally unstable or ephemeral cues and support orientation across different environments.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
David A. Holway, Erin K. Cameron
Summary: Recent studies show that ants, including introduced species, are proficient scavengers that can monopolize carrion resources, potentially increasing worker production and altering interactions within food webs. Further research is needed to understand the impact of ant invasions on energy transfer in ecosystems.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2021)