Open AccessAnts in their plants: P seudomyrmex ants reduce primate, parrot and squirrel predation on M acrolobium acaciifolium ( F abaceae) seeds in A mazonian B razil
Author(s) -
Barnett Adrian A.,
Almeida Thais,
Andrade Richelly,
Boyle Sarah,
Lima Marcelo Gonçalves,
MacLar Ann,
Ross Caroline,
Silva Welma Sousa,
Spironello Wilson R.,
RonchiTeles Beatriz
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
biological journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.906
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1095-8312
pISSN - 0024-4066
DOI - 10.1111/bij.12425
Subject(s) - biology , sciurus , predation , ecology , herbivore , seed predation , fabaceae , myrmecophily , amazonian , frugivore , primate , vertebrate , zoology , amazon rainforest , ant , habitat , seed dispersal , biological dispersal , population , biochemistry , demography , sociology , gene
Although plant‐inhabiting ants are known to act as effective deterrents to a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate herbivores, this has been reported only once before for primates, a group better known for their predation of ants. In the present study, we investigated the effects that colonies of P seudomyrmex viduus ants living in individual M acrolobium acaciifolium ( F abaceae) trees have on the rates of visitation and fruit removal by four taxa of seed‐predating vertebrates: the primate C acajao melanocephalus ouakary ; macaws ( A ra spp.); large parrots ( A mazona spp.); and the N orthern A mazonian red squirrel ( S ciurus igniventris ). We found that ant presence significantly reduced both rates of visitation and of fruit removal by C . m. ouakary . The same pattern of reduced fruit removal was also observed for other seed predators (parrots, macaws, and squirrels) but not for visitation rates (although this may be a result of the small sample size). This appears to be only the second‐known demonstration of the repellent effect of ants on primates and, indeed, the first for squirrels and psittacine birds. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2015, 114 , 260–273.