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Figure 4.4 A) and B) Photographs of the fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex longiscapus showing
the foveae openings in the exoskeleton covering most of the body. These foveae contain bacteria
( Pseudonocardia ) that produce antibiotics. C) This light micrograph illustrates a single fovea showing
many bacteria are present. D) This transmission electron micrograph shows a single glandular cell
with the Pseudonocardia bacteria within the crypt. (Photos provided by Cameron Currie.)
Pantoea (although at a lower level than Klebsiella ), which also were isolated
consistently. Pinto-Tomas et al. (2009) concluded the following:
“The ecological success of leaf-cutter ants is derived, in large part, from the
combined ability of the ants to break down antifungal barriers and of the
fungus garden to neutralize plant anti-insect toxins. Consequently, the leaf-
cutters are able to use a high diversity of plant families, in contrast to most
herbivorous insects .the reliance on leaf material means that leaf-cutter
ant colonies are potentially N-limited. Our work shows that these ants can
potentially overcome such limitation through symbiotic associations with N 2 -
fixing bacteria.”
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