Insights into a novel three-partner interaction between ants, coreids (Hemiptera: Coreidae) and extrafloral nectaries: implications for the study of protective mutualisms
- Aranda Rickert, Adriana Marina
- Fracchia, Sebastian
- Yela, Natalia Ines
- Marazzi, Brigitte
DOIAbstract
Extrafloral nectar of plants and honeydew of hemipterans are the common mediators of facultative interactions that involve ants as a mobile strategy of defence. The outcome of these interactions can vary from mutualistic to commensalistic or even antagonistic, depending on the ecological context and the interacting species. Here, we explore a novel, three-partner interaction involving ants, the coreid Dersagrena subfoveolata (Hemiptera) and the extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) bearing plant Senna aphylla (Fabaceae) in semi-arid Northwest Argentina. We surveyed natural areas and conducted ant exclusion experiments, to understand how each pairwise interaction influences the overall outcome among the three interacting parts. The outcome of the int...
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