Ant and Related Entomology Terms

A food substance produced by the Cecropia trees (tropical American trees that live in association with a colony of ants) on the trichilium (a pad at the base of the petiole or slender stem that supports the blade of a leaf): The nutrients, or the Müllerian bodies are consumed by the resident ants, which are usually Azteca but occasionally also by Camponotus balzani ants or Pachycondyla luteola ants.

One of two major taxonomic groups of ants sometimes recognized in classification: The name myrmecioid complex is based on the subfamily "Myrmeciinae", one of the constituent taxa.

It should not be confused with the subfamily "Myrmicinae", which belongs to the poneroid complex.

The dispersal of seeds by ants stimulated by nutritive bodies, or attracted by the elaiosomes (elaios-, "oil" + some-, "body"; fleshy structures that are attached to the seeds of many plant species): Myrmecochory, or the spreading of seeds, by granivorous (grain eating) ants without the aid of such specialized attractants, is not included in this term.

A specialized structure produced by a plant for insects: Myrmecodomatia can be inflated stems created by ant plants for the housing of ant colonies.

The scientific study of ants: Jim was very interested in ants and decided to learn more about them by taking a courses in myrmecology, a branch of entomology.

An organism that spends part of its life cycle in ant or termite nests or colonies: A myrmecophile is typically an insect, that thrives in such association with ants (or termites).

The general condition of encouraging ants: In this system, myrmecophily is used to denote ant pollination while some other writers have used the term to refer to the condition of being an ant plant, or myrmecophytism.

It seems appropriate to use the expression "myrmecophilous" in the broadest sense, comprising both pollination and myrmecophytism and all the plants that exist to attract and to reward ants.

The strongest evidence for ant-plant mutualism comes from the existence of domatia, or plant structures that serve no evident purpose other than to shelter ant colonies.

Domatia increase the density of ants on the plant itself because ants are always quick to take advantage of whatever hollows and crevices plants have to offer.

In most cases the shelters are not true domatia and the ants live as parasites or commensals on the plants or a relationship between organisms of two different species in which one derives food or other benefits from the association while the other remains unharmed and unaffected.

Higher plants that live in obligatory, mutualistic relationships with ants: Myrmecophytes give shelter and food to ants in a relationship involving symbiosis.

The condition of being an ant plant, in other words possessing ant shelters (domatia).

1. The stimulation of growth in ant plants by nutrients carried to the plants by their guest ants.
2. The transport of soil, litter, and other nutrient-bearing materials by ants that results in the feeding of the plant hosts.

The dwarf workers produced from either the first ant broods or later ant broods that have been subjected to starvation.

Nanitic workers occur in both monomorphic and polymorplhic species.

The snout-like organ possessed by soldiers of some species in the nasutitermitinae. The nasus is used to eject poisonous or sticky fluid at intruders.

A soldier termite possessing a nasus.

Transportation of dead members of the colony away from the nest.

The distinctive odor of a nest, by which its inhabitants can distinguish their own nest from those belonging to other colonies or at least from the surrounding environment.

Certain insects; for example, honey bees and some ants, can orient themselves toward their nests by means of the odor.

It is possible that the nest odor is the same as the "colony odor" in some cases. The nest odor of honey bees is often referred to as the "hive aura" or "hive odor".