A ponerine ant (Hym., Formicidae) associated with Homoptera on cocoa in Ghana
The Ponerine ant Odontomachus haematodus (L.) tends the aphid Toxoptera aurantii (Boy.) and a Stictococcid Stictococcus sjostedti Ckll. on cocoa in Ghana but predates the mealybug Planococcoides njalensis (Laing). Tents are built over the first two, largely of soil particles. Honeydew is collected in the mandibles and carried to the nest or may be accumulated and eventually drunk. Some of the soil used in the tents in infected by blackpod sporangia. Tending homopters is restricted to the immediate vicinity of the nest. The mutualism practised has evolved independently of its occurrence in higher ants.
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | biblioteca |
| Published: |
1971
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| Subjects: | THEOBROMA CACAO, ODONTOMACHUS HAEMATODUS, FORMICIDAE, DISTRIBUCION NATURAL, TOXOPTERA AURANTII, APHIDOIDEA, STICTOCOCCUS SJOSTEDTI, COCCOIDEA, PLANOCOCCOIDES NJALENSIS, HOMOPTERA, GHANA, |
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