Ant-partners play a minor role on occurrence of the myrmecophilous butterfly Leptotes cassius in its host plant

Bächtold, Alexandra; Del‐Claro, Kleber

doi:10.1007/s11829-017-9586-5

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Offering a greater amount of maintenance food to colonies in plants Without EFNs is the best way to show that the difference in results between treatments is due to the content of the extrafloral nectar. Finally, we also checked and removed weekly honeydew‐producing hemipterans and/or caterpillars (e.g., Lycaenidae/Riodiniidae) that produce sugar‐rich secretions (Alves‐Silva et al, 2013; Bächtold & Del‐Claro, 2018) to isolate the effects of the presence and absence of EFNs on colony development.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Net benefits of a mutualism: Influence of the quality of extrafloral nectar on the colony fitness of a mutualistic ant

2021

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Aim: Extrafloral nectar, a carbohydrate-rich liquid, is the main plant-based resource offered in exchange for ant protection. The positive results of this protection provided by ants are widely studied and supported; however, studies showing the benefits that ants and their colonies have from the resources offered by plants such as extrafloral nectar are scarce. Here, we evaluated how extrafloral nectar and artificial food resources with different nutrient concentration benefit short-and long-term Camponotus crassus colony fitness (number and weight of individuals) and survival. Methods:We conducted two sets of experiments: (1) in the field we attached artificial ant nests to plants with clogged and unclogged extrafloral nectaries; and (2) in the laboratory we offered artificial food resources with different carbohydrate-protein ratios to ant colonies. With these experiments, we evaluated the number and weight of queens, adult workers, pupae, larvae, and eggs, as well as the survival probability of the colonies. Results:In the first experiment, the short-term provision of extrafloral nectar resulted in a larger number and weight of individuals with access to this resource. In the second experiment, regardless of time, the supply of more concentrated carbohydrate and nitrogen food increased ant colony fitness and survival. Conclusion: We provided new evidence that extrafloral nectar significantly benefits ant colonies. Our results corroborate the assertion that these relationships are reciprocally beneficial.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, we also checked and removed weekly honeydew-producing hemipterans and/or caterpillars (e.g., Lycaenidae/Riodiniidae) that produce sugar-rich secretions Bächtold & Del-Claro, 2018) to isolate the effects of the presence and absence of EFNs on colony development.…”

Section: Extrafloral Nectar-feeding Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Net benefits of a mutualism: Influence of the quality of extrafloral nectar on the colony fitness of a mutualistic ant

2021

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“…We also noted misspellings in specific names, which indicates minimal taxonomic attention to the species level in some cases. To conclude, the approach of focusing on ant genera to classify ants as effective plant guards is valid when we consider that arboreal species in many genera present conservative behavior when it comes to foraging, patrolling, and aggressiveness toward insects (Bächtold & Del‐Claro, 2018; Fagundes et al., 2017; Oliveira, Silva, et al., 1987).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant protection effectiveness in myrmecophytes and extrafloral nectary plants

Souza,

Calixto,

Domingos

et al. 2024

Journal of Zoology

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Extrafloral nectaried plants and myrmecophytes offer resources to ants that engage in protective mutualisms. The role of different ant species in herbivore deterrence has long been analyzed by using insect baits, and ants are regarded as effective plant guards if they attack the insects. Here, by performing a literature review, we conducted a comparative investigation on which ants display aggression toward experimental prey, which ants are better plant guards, and which plants (extrafloral nectaried plants or myrmecophytes) are better defended by ants. Data revealed that studies evaluating ant aggression toward insect baits have been performed on 37 extrafloral nectaried plant species and 19 myrmecophytes, and have involved over 30 genera of ants. Extrafloral nectaried plants and myrmecophytes rely on specific ant fauna to defend them from herbivores. In extrafloral nectaried plants, Camponotus and Crematogaster were regarded as the best plant protectors, as they attacked insects in nearly all plants. In myrmecophytes, Azteca, Pheidole, and Pseudomyrmex were the most important insect attackers. Myrmecophytes were better protected by ants, as all insects were attacked; in extrafloral nectaried plants, some ants failed to attack the insects. Plants are patrolled by several different ants, but there is a core of ants that excel in protection, and this varies according to plant type (extrafloral nectaried plants and myrmecophytes). With this knowledge, it may be possible to label different ants as effective plant guards, to anticipate their effects on plant performance, and even to understand their potential role as biological control agents.

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“…We also noted misspelling in specific names, which indicates minimal taxonomic attention to the species level in some cases. To conclude, the approach of focusing on ant genera to classify ants as effective plant guards is valid when we consider that arboreal species in many genera present conservative behavior when it comes to foraging, patrolling and aggressiveness toward baits (Bächtold and Del-Claro, 2018; Fagundes et al, 2017; Oliveira et al, 1987).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The best plant-guarding ants in extrafloral nectaried plants and myrmecophytes according to baiting tests

Souza¹,

Calixto

Domingos³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Extrafloral nectaried plants and myrmecophytes offer resources to ants that may engage in protective mutualisms. The role of different ant species in herbivore deterrence has long been analyzed by using herbivore baits, and ants are regarded as effective plant guards if they attack and/or remove the baits (mostly termites) from plants. Here, we conducted a comparative investigation on which ants display aggression toward baits, which ants are better plant guards, and which plants (extrafloral nectaried plants or myrmecophytes) are better defended by ants. Data from the literature revealed that baiting studies have been performed on 37 extrafloral nectaried plant species and 19 myrmecophytes, and have involved over 30 genera of ants. Extrafloral nectaried plants and myrmecophytes rely on specific ant fauna to defend them from herbivores. In extrafloral nectaried plants,CamponotusandCrematogasterwere regarded as the best plant protectors, as they attacked baits in nearly all plants. In myrmecophytes,Azteca, PheidoleandPseudomyrmexwere the most important bait attackers. Myrmecophytes were better protected by ants, as all baits were attacked; in extrafloral nectaried plants, some ants failed to attack the baits. Plants can be patrolled by several different ants, but there is a core of ants that excel in protection, and this varies according to plant type (extrafloral nectaried plants and myrmecophytes). With this knowledge, it may be possible to label different ants as effective plant guards, to anticipate their effects on plant performance and even to understand their potential role as biological control agents.

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Ant-partners play a minor role on occurrence of the myrmecophilous butterfly Leptotes cassius in its host plant

Cited by 5 publications

References 52 publications

Net benefits of a mutualism: Influence of the quality of extrafloral nectar on the colony fitness of a mutualistic ant

Net benefits of a mutualism: Influence of the quality of extrafloral nectar on the colony fitness of a mutualistic ant

Ant protection effectiveness in myrmecophytes and extrafloral nectary plants

The best plant-guarding ants in extrafloral nectaried plants and myrmecophytes according to baiting tests

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