Positive interspecies associations between ants and other organisms
Not to be confused with Myrmecophila or Myrmecophilus.
For organisms that eat ants, see Myrmecophagy.
Myrmecophilous aphids being tended by ants
Myrmecophily (/mɜːrməˈkɒfəli/mur-mə-KOF-ə-lee, lit.'love of ants') is the term applied to positive interspecies associations between ants and a variety of other organisms, such as plants, other arthropods, and fungi. Myrmecophily refers to mutualistic associations with ants, though in its more general use, the term may also refer to commensal or even parasitic interactions.
The term "myrmecophile" is used mainly for animals that associate with ants. An estimated 10,000 species of ants (Formicidae) are known, with a higher diversity in the tropics.[1] In most terrestrial ecosystems, ants are ecologically and numerically dominant, being the main invertebrate predators. As a result, ants play a key role in controlling arthropod richness, abundance, and community structure.[2] Some evidence shows that the evolution of myrmecophilous interactions has contributed to the abundance and ecological success of ants,[1][3] by ensuring a dependable and energy-rich food supply, thus providing a competitive advantage for ants over other invertebrate predators.[4] Most myrmecophilous associations are opportunistic, unspecialized, and facultative (meaning both species are capable of surviving without the interaction), though obligate mutualisms (those in which one or both species are dependent on the interaction for survival) have also been observed for many species.[5]
As ant nests grow, they are more likely to house more and greater varieties of myrmecophiles. This is partly because larger colonies have greater specializations, so more diversity of ecology within the nests, allowing for more diversity and population sizes among the myrmecophiles.[6][7]
^ abB. Holldobler and E.O. Wilson, The Ants, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1990.
^K. Fiedler, B. Holldobler, and P. Seufert, "Butterflies and ants: The communicative domain," Cellular and molecular life sciences, vol. 52, 1996, pp. 14-24.
^B. Holldobler and E.O. Wilson, Journey to the Ants, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1994.
^N. Bluthgen, N.E. Stork, and K. Fiedler, "Bottom-up control and co-occurrence in complex communities: honeydew and nectar determine a rainforest ant mosaic," Oikos, vol. 106, 2004, pp. 344-358.
^B. Stadler and T. Dixon, Mutualism: Ants and their insect partners, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
^KISTNER, DAVID H. (1979), "Social and Evolutionary Significance of Social Insect Symbionts", Social Insects, Elsevier, pp. 339–413, doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-342201-9.50015-x, ISBN 978-0-12-342201-9
^Wilson, Edward O. (1971). The insect societies. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-45490-1. OCLC 199513.
Myrmecophily (/mɜːrməˈkɒfəli/ mur-mə-KOF-ə-lee, lit. 'love of ants') is the term applied to positive interspecies associations between ants and a variety...
have developed complex interspecies relationships with ants, known as myrmecophily. Rove beetles are among the most rich and diverse families of myrmecophilous...
record appear in the mid-Cretaceous alongside the earliest ants. In myrmecophily, mimic and model live commensally together; in the case of ants, the...
Myrmecophilus acervorum is an orthopteran insect belonging to the family Myrmecophilidae (the ant-loving crickets). This continental European species is...
(2012). "Spider-Ant Associations: An Updated Review of Myrmecomorphy, Myrmecophily, and Myrmecophagy in Spiders". Psyche. 2012: Article ID 151989. doi:10...
in Peru discovered that the caterpillars of A. annulifera engaged in myrmecophily. They live on the shoots of bamboo species in the genus Guadua, providing...
doi:10.2307/2387854. JSTOR 2387854. Cushing PE (1997). "Myrmecomorphy and myrmecophily in spiders: A Review" (PDF). The Florida Entomologist. 80 (2): 165–193...
but about 75% of species associate with ants, a relationship called myrmecophily. These associations can be mutualistic, parasitic, or predatory depending...
case-bearing leaf beetles known as Camptosomata. Clytrini are known for their myrmecophily. Anomoea Agassiz, 1846 Anomoea flavokansiensis Moldenke, 1970 Anomoea...
green leaves. Some Cryptocephalinae have larvae that live in ant nests (myrmecophily), where they feed on dead plant or even dead animal matter. The semi-aquatic...
Lycaenidae family, S. melinus are attended by ants in a behavior known as myrmecophily. The gray hairstreak lives in a wide range of habitats ranging from tropical...
Magro, Alexandra; Orivel, Jérôme (2012). "Evolutionary Perspectives on Myrmecophily in Ladybirds". Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. 2012: 1–7. doi:10.1155/2012/591570...
organism that habitually shares an ant nest, myrmecophilous (adj.), myrmecophily (n.) Myrmidons (n.) ant-men in Metamorphoses and in Homer's Iliad, where...
species form close relationships with ants, a relationship known as myrmecophily, especially within the family Pyrgodesmidae (Polydesmida), which contains...
"blues", butterflies in the family Lycaenidae, which is notorious for its myrmecophily. Accordingly, it is likely that the larvae that hatch from the eggs feed...
2021-12-03. Monserrat, V. J.; M. D. Martinez (1995). "On the possible myrmecophily of Nemopterinae larvae(Neuroptera, Nemopteridae" (PDF). Sociobiology...
live as welcome guests in the nest of a social insect (such as the ant, myrmecophily, or termite, termitophily) by which they are fed and guarded. The relationship...
stamens. However, Myristica is probably pollinated by true ants, a case of myrmecophily.[citation needed] A few New Guinea Myristica species have evolved hollow...
Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Haeterius blanchardi is a Myrmecophily species, living in colonies of the ant species Formica pallidefulva....
based on morphological and ecological characters: evolution of parasitic myrmecophily". Cladistics. 20 (4): 362–375. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.716.2924. doi:10.1111/j...
colored setae. This species is associated with ants of Acromyrmex species (myrmecophily). This species occurs in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia and southern...
by ants myrmecologist a student of ants myrmecology the study of ants myrmecophily association of various organisms with ants myrmecophyte plant that lives...
protection from noxious animals and plants. This mutualism trait, known as myrmecophily, is widespread across the plant world and clearly carries considerable...
be inhibited by limitations in the ranges of native ant populations. Myrmecophily Myrmecophyte Daniel Simberloff; Marcel Rejmánek, eds. (2010). Encyclopedia...
arguments for the uniting the two families. It is now recognized that myrmecophily arose several times among Riodinidae and Lycaenidae clades. But there...
1966002. S2CID 238735010 – via Taylor and Francis+NEJM. "Specialized Myrmecophily at the Ecological Dawn of Modern Ants: Current Biology". Vea, Isabelle...
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