Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
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.”