Myrmecophilia
In ecology, myrmecophilia describes the attachment of a species to ants .
Myrmecophilic plants
In botany, myrmecophilia is used as a generic term for associations between ants and plant species, in which the plant only attracts ants. Myrmecophilic plants benefit from the relationship in a number of ways.
- Seed spread. Many plant species have seeds with special organs, e.g. B. Elaiosomes , which are specially designed for spreading by ants. This is known as myrmecochory .
- Pollination. In contrast to other hymenoptera, especially bees, pollination of plants by ants is rather rare. Species pollinated by ants show only a few special adaptations; ants are often more opportunistic or random pollinators, but can nevertheless be of regional importance for a number of species. A tropical species of orchid attracts male ants by mimicking females. The male fertilizes the flower by pseudo-population . Due to the rarity and the mostly unspecific flower shape, no special technical term has been established for pollination by ants.
In addition to the attractants, the ants receive protection in return. Numerous tropical plant species provide ants with special cavities, known as domatia , as nesting areas. In addition, plants (the same or different) provide extra-floral nectaries that ants use for food. The community's plant partners are often referred to as myrmecophytes .
Myrmecophiles
In some animal species there is also a myrmecophilic reproductive behavior. They are therefore called myrmecophiles . A distinction species that mimesis operate, ie possess an ant-like appearance and others who over attractants ( pheromones sugary) and the discharge excreta attractive to the host ants seem. For both, a distinction should also be made between symbiotic and parasitic lifestyle. Usually the ant colony has a protective function for the myrmecophilic species.
The most common ruff-winged species (Staphylinidae) can be found as guests of ants.
The ant cricket lives in ant burrows, as do various ant spiders .
Various butterflies from the family of Gossamer (Lycaenidae) are partially dependent on ant species and a special plant, which it into two factors vulnerable to extinction makes. They live symbiotically or parasitically in ant burrows as caterpillars.
Categories
A distinction is made between different categories of myrmecophilia, depending on the relationship between the guest species and the ant hosts. Today, however, these categories are under discussion, as myrmecophilic species often fit into several of these categories.
- Trophobiosis : the ants live from secretions of the other species (e.g. from the honeydew of the lice ).
- Symphilie : guest relationship. The ants look after the guest species (e.g. the beetle Claviger longicornis ) because it secretes secretions that are sought after . The benefit for the ants is doubtful, however, since the guest species often feeds on the ant hosts.
- Probiosis : The two species live together without mutual benefit. The myrmecophile guest pays no further attention to the ants.
- Synechthrie : The ants are hunted and eaten by their guests (enemy relationship).
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ z. B.William Goitia & Klaus Jaffe (2009): Ant-Plant Associations in Different Forests in Venezuela. Neotropical Entomology 38 (1): 7-31 online
- ↑ K. Faegri & L. van der Pijl: The principles of pollination ecology. Pergamon Press (Oxford), 1966
- ↑ James C. Hickman (1974): Pollination by Ants: A Low-Energy System. Science 21 Vol. 184 no. 4143: 1290-1292. doi : 10.1126 / science.184.4143.1290
- ↑ JM Gómez & R. Zamora (1992): Pollination by ants: consequences of the quantitative effects on a mutualistic system. Oecologia Volume 91, Number 3: 410-418, doi : 10.1007 / BF00317631
- ↑ R. Peakall, AJ Beattie, James SH (1987): Pseudocopulation of an orchid by male ants: a test of two hypotheses accounting for the rarity of ant pollination. Oecologia Volume 73, Number 4: 522-524, doi : 10.1007 / BF00379410
- ^ List of host ant species for blue ant species