Chapter
Complexity of insect-fungal associations: Exploring the influence of microorganisms on the attine ant-fungus symbiosis
Abstract
Ants that culture fungi for food belong to the tribe Attini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae); a monophyletic group of more than 210 species of fungus-growing ants, distributed in 12 genera (Chapela et al., 1994; Wetterer et al., 1998; Brandão and Mayhé-Nunes, 2001; Mueller et al ., 2001). Fungus-growing ants are exclusively Neotropical, and the most specious group of the tribe includes the eight “lower” attine genera Apterostigma, Cyphomyrmex, …
Authors
Poulsen M; Currie CR
Book title
Insect Symbiosis
Volume
2
Pagination
pp. 57-77
Publication Date
January 1, 2006
DOI
10.1201/9781420005936