Journal article
The Genome Sequence of the Leaf-Cutter Ant Atta cephalotes Reveals Insights into Its Obligate Symbiotic Lifestyle
Abstract
Leaf-cutter ants are one of the most important herbivorous insects in the Neotropics, harvesting vast quantities of fresh leaf material. The ants use leaves to cultivate a fungus that serves as the colony's primary food source. This obligate ant-fungus mutualism is one of the few occurrences of farming by non-humans and likely facilitated the formation of their massive colonies. Mature leaf-cutter ant colonies contain millions of workers …
Authors
Suen G; Teiling C; Li L; Holt C; Abouheif E; Bornberg-Bauer E; Bouffard P; Caldera EJ; Cash E; Cavanaugh A
Journal
PLOS Genetics, Vol. 7, No. 2,
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pgen.1002007
ISSN
1553-7390