It is found living in the nest of the longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis) and is kleptoparasitic on it, feeding on food scraps brought back by the workers and encouraging them to regurgitate food. It may be assisted in this symbiosis by mimicry as it resembles the gaster of the ant queen in both size and shape. Although it seems to be largely host specific, it has on at least one occasion been found in the nest of another species of ant, and other members of the genus Myrmecophilus have multiple host species.[1]
Referencesedit
^Wetterer, James K.; Hugel, Sylvain (2008). "Worldwide Spread of the Ant Cricket Myrmecophilus americanus, a Symbiont of the Longhorn Crazy Ant, Paratrechina longicornis". Sociobiology. 52 (1): 157–165. ISSN 0361-6525.
January 01, 1970
myrmecophilus, americanus, cricket, wingless, cricket, that, obligate, parasite, ants, lives, their, nests, scientific, classification, domain, eukaryota, kingdom, animalia, phylum, arthropoda, class, insecta, order, orthoptera, suborder, ensifera, family, myr. Myrmecophilus americanus is an ant cricket a wingless cricket that is an obligate parasite of ants and lives in their nests Myrmecophilus americanus Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta Order Orthoptera Suborder Ensifera Family Myrmecophilidae Genus Myrmecophilus Species M americanus Binomial name Myrmecophilus americanusSaussure 1877 It is found living in the nest of the longhorn crazy ant Paratrechina longicornis and is kleptoparasitic on it feeding on food scraps brought back by the workers and encouraging them to regurgitate food It may be assisted in this symbiosis by mimicry as it resembles the gaster of the ant queen in both size and shape Although it seems to be largely host specific it has on at least one occasion been found in the nest of another species of ant and other members of the genus Myrmecophilus have multiple host species 1 References edit Wetterer James K Hugel Sylvain 2008 Worldwide Spread of the Ant Cricket Myrmecophilus americanus a Symbiont of the Longhorn Crazy Ant Paratrechina longicornis Sociobiology 52 1 157 165 ISSN 0361 6525 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Myrmecophilus americanus amp oldid 1181129513, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
