A novel association between Aphaenogaster subterranea (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the nymphs of Reptalus panzeri (Hemiptera: Cixiidae)

Gábor Lőrinczi

doi:10.14411/eje.2012.064

Abstract

The nymphs of the cixiid planthopper, Reptalus panzeri (Low, 1883), were found cohabiting with the myrmicine ant Aphaenogaster subterranea (Latreille, 1798) in a sub-Mediterranean oak forest in mid-western Hungary. Except for a few cases, nymphs were recorded only in the nests of A. subterranea, or were recorded with foragers of this ant from neighbouring colonies. Adult planthoppers were also found in nests of A. subterranea in the emergence period. Neither field nor laboratory studies revealed direct or unambiguous interactions between this ant and the planthopper nymphs that would indicate a trophobiotic relationship, however the fact that nymphs do not try to escape from the ants, which do not attack the nymphs, indicates some kind of mutualistic relationship between them. The main food plant of R. panzeri nymphs in this habitat is likely to be the roots of manna ash (Fraxinus ornus).

Highlights

The association between ants and honeydew-producing hemipterans is well known and discussed extensively in the literature
Like in most the other species most of the nests of A. subterranea were found under stones
A total of 110 planthopper nymphs were located in ant nests, 106 (96%) of which occurred in the nests of A. subterranea

Summary

Introduction

The association between ants and honeydew-producing hemipterans is well known and discussed extensively in the literature. In these interactions, tending ants harvest energy-rich honeydew and in return provide protection and other services that benefit the hemipterans (reviewed e.g., by Way, 1963; Buckley, 1987; Delabie, 2001). In ant-cixiid relationships it is mainly the ground-living nymphs that are ant attended (Myers, 1929; Mitjaev, 1967; Thompson et al, 1979; Thompson, 1984) and rarely the adult planthoppers (Holzinger, 2009). In the Central European fauna, the nymphs of species of Reptalus and Pentastiridius are found in association with ants Com.), the species of ant or whether it is frequently associated with these planthoppers is unreported Pers. com.), the species of ant or whether it is frequently associated with these planthoppers is unreported

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Conclusion