Table 2 Behavioural interactions between silverfish and ants and behavioural categories used for calculating the aggression index.
From: Acquisition of chemical recognition cues facilitates integration into ant societies
Behaviour | Definition | Category |
|---|---|---|
Ignored | An ant worker touches the silverfish once with its antennae and moves on without any sign of behavioural modification. | - |
Groomed | An ant grooms the silverfish with its mouthparts. The silverfish remains in position. | - |
Avoid | When an ant approaches, the silverfish avoids contact by quick escape. | - |
Antennated | An ant touches a silverfish repeatedly with its antennae for longer than two seconds without displaying other behaviours. | - |
Unnoticed | An ant comes into and perhaps stays in contact with a silverfish, but not with its antennae; the ant does not modify its behaviour. | - |
Chased | An ant touches the silverfish with its antennae and quickly lunges in its direction. | Aggressive |
Snapped | An ant touches the silverfish with its antennae and snaps with its mandibles in the direction of the silverfish. | Aggressive |
Stung | An ant touches the silverfish with its antennae, lunges forward and bends its gaster in the direction of the opponent. The attempt is not necessarily successful. | Aggressive |
Seized | An ant snapped at and subsequently seized a silverfish in its mandibles. | Aggressive |