| Title: | Evidence that insect herbivores are deterred by ant pheromones |
| Author(s): | Offenberg J; Nielsen MG; MacIntosh DJ; Havanon S; Aksornkoae S; |
| Address: | "The Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Aarhus, Universitetsparken, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. offenberg@biology.au.dk" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0962-8452 (Print) 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "It is well documented that ants can protect plants against insect herbivores, but the underlying mechanisms remain almost undocumented. We propose and test the pheromone avoidance hypothesis--an indirect mechanism where insect herbivores are repelled not only by ants but also by ant pheromones. Herbivores subjected to ant predation will experience a selective advantage if they evolve mechanisms enabling them to avoid feeding within ant territories. Such a mechanism could be based on the ability to detect and evade ant pheromones. Field observations and data from the literature showed that the ant Oecophylla smaragdina distributes persistent pheromones throughout its territory. In addition, a laboratory test showed that the beetle Rhyparida wallacei, which this ant preys on, was reluctant to feed on leaves sampled within ant territories compared with leaves sampled outside territories. Thus, this study provides an example of an ant-herbivore system conforming to the pheromone avoidance hypothesis" |
| Keywords: | Animals Ants/*metabolism Avoidance Learning/*physiology Coleoptera/*physiology Feeding Behavior/*physiology Food Chain Pheromones/*metabolism Plant Leaves Rhizophoraceae Thailand; |
| Notes: | "MedlineOffenberg, Joachim Nielsen, Mogens Gissel MacIntosh, Donald J Havanon, Sopon Aksornkoae, Sanit eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2005/04/02 Proc Biol Sci. 2004 Dec 7; 271 Suppl 6(Suppl 6):S433-5. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2004.0210" |
