A tropical small tree, Callicarpa saccata, is known to have a symbiotic relationship with ants. It has sac-like structures at the base of the leaves that are inhabited by ants. No other species has been determined to be a myrmecophyte among the ca. 140 species of this genus. However, our recent field investigation discovered that two other species on Borneo (C. barbata and C. teneriflora) have hollow stems, which seem to be inhabited by ants. We observed the morphological features of these species in relation to their usage by ants, and became convinced that they are mymecophytic species. The molecular phylogenetic analyses using ITS and chloroplast regions suggest that C. saccata and C. teneriflora are closely related, but the differences in the myrmecophytic features of these species should be noted.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10265-016-0820-5 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Sexual Offspring Production by Acorn Ant Colonies Is Associated with the Colony Size but Not with the Volume of the Nest Cavity.
Animals (Basel)
December 2024
Institute of Biology, University of Opole, Oleska 22, 45-052 Opole, Poland.
Nest sites are important for ants, as the nests provide refuge against enemies and ensure optimal conditions for the brood development. As the construction of a nest is a time and energy consuming activity, many ant species dwell in ready-for-use cavities. For them, choosing a good nest site is important, as the quality of nest site could affect factors such as the energy allocation and production of sexual individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFXerophilic Aspergillaceae Dominate the Communities of Culturable Fungi in the Mound Nests of the Western Thatching Ant ().
J Fungi (Basel)
October 2024
Department of Biology, Brandon University, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB R7A 6A9, Canada.
The nests of mound-building ants are unexplored reservoirs of fungal diversity. A previous assessment of this diversity in the nests of suggested that water availability may be a determinant of the composition of this mycota. To investigate this question, we recovered 3594 isolates of filamentous Ascomycota from the nests of and adjacent, non-nest sites, employing Dichloran Rose Bengal agar (DRBA), Dichloran Rose Bengal agar containing glycerol (DRBAG), and malt extract agar containing sucrose (MEA20S).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental contamination by veterinary medicinal products and their implications in the conservation of the endangered Pyrenean Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus).
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf
December 2024
Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Valdeolmos 28130, Spain. Electronic address:
The endangered Pyrenean Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus) inhabits perennial forests of the Pyrenees (Spain, France and Andorre). Feces of domestic animals (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSlit in a Nest Site Influences the Nest Site Selection in Cavity Nesting Ant Colonies.
Insects
August 2024
Institute of Biology, University of Opole, Oleska 22, 45-052 Opole, Poland.
For ants, nests provide a refuge against predators and protection from environmental factors. Thus, choosing a good nest site is important for an ant colony, but nest sites are limited resources. Ants of the genus inhabit small cavities in, e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe impacts of fire vary among vertical strata: Responses of ant communities to long-term experimental burning.
Ecol Appl
October 2024
Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northwest Territory, Australia.
Fire is a powerful tool for conservation management at a landscape scale, but a rigorous evidence base is often lacking for understanding its impacts on biodiversity in different biomes. Fire-induced changes to habitat openness have been identified as an underlying driver of responses of faunal communities, including for ants. However, most studies of the impacts of fire on ant communities consider only epigeic (foraging on the soil surface) species, which may not reflect the responses of species inhabiting other vertical strata.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!