Journal article
Mutualistic bacteria and a possible trade-off between alternative defence mechanisms in Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants
Abstract
Summary: Leaf-cutting ants in the genus Acromyrmex are obligately dependent upon a mutualistic fungus as their primary food source. One mechanism employed by fungus-growing ants to control general infections of the fungus garden is through secretions of the metapleural glands, which produce a broad spectrum of antibiotics. In addition, the ants carry a mutualistic filamentous bacterium (an actinomycete) on their cuticle, which produces …
Authors
Poulsen M; Bot ANM; Currie CR; Boomsma JJ
Journal
Insectes Sociaux, Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 15–19
Publisher
Springer Nature
Publication Date
March 2002
DOI
10.1007/s00040-002-8271-5
ISSN
0020-1812