Premium
Quarantining behaviour of ants towards infected aphids as an antifungal mechanism in ant–aphid interactions
Author(s) -
Novgorodova Tatiana A.,
Kryukov Vadim Yu.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12552
Subject(s) - honeydew , biology , aphid , myrmecophily , ant , lasius , mutualism (biology) , host (biology) , entomology , aphididae , linepithema , argentine ant , ecology , botany , pest analysis , homoptera
The ecological success of social insects, including ants, is tightly connected with their ability to protect themselves and their food resources. In exchange for energy‐rich honeydew, ants protect myrmecophilous aphids from various natural enemies. Fungal infection can have disastrous consequences for both mutualist partners, wherein aphids can be disease vectors. Behavioural responses towards fungus‐infected aphids of ant species in nature have scarcely been studied. Here, we studied the behaviour of honeydew foragers of four ant species – F ormica polyctena F oerster, F ormica rufa L., F ormica pratensis R etzius ( H ymenoptera: F ormicidae, F ormicini), and L asius niger ( L .) ( F ormicidae, L asiini) – towards S ymydobius oblongus (von Heyden) aphids contaminated with the generalist fungal pathogen B eauveria bassiana (Balsamo‐Crivelli) Vuillemin in the field. Aphid milkers from F ormica spp. quickly detected and removed infected aphids from the host plant ( B etula pendula Roth., B etulaceae). Neither ant species, the degree of aphid‐milker specialization (medium or high), nor the number of honeydew foragers had significant effects on the behaviour of F ormica milkers towards infected aphids. Unlike F ormica ants, L . niger usually displayed non‐aggressive behaviour (tolerance, antennation, honeydew collection, grooming). By the immediate removal of infected insects, F ormica ants seem to minimize the probability of infection of symbionts as well as themselves. Quarantining behaviour may play an important role in ant–aphid interactions as a preventive antifungal mechanism formed under parasite pressure and thus contributing to the ecological success of ants.