Eurymelinae

Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843

Eurymelinae is a of () with worldwide distribution. Members are phloem-feeding that maintain complex obligate with microorganisms including bacteria (Sulcia, Nasuia, Sodalis) and yeast-like (Ophiocordycipitaceae) to synthesize . The subfamily exhibits notable ecological diversity, including -attended that engage in .

Macropsis basalis by (c) Henrique Pacheco, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Henrique Pacheco. Used under a CC-BY license.Acericerus ribauti by (c) Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas. Used under a CC-BY license.Acericerus by (c) Paul Cook, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Paul Cook. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Eurymelinae: //ˌjʊrɪmɛˈlaɪniː//

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Habitat

Associated with vascular plants; specific requirements vary by tribe and . Some inhabit mountain landscapes in Central Asia (e.g., Macropsidius in Kazakhstan). plants include Rosaceae (Pyrus amygdaliformis documented for Balcanocerus).

Distribution

Worldwide. Documented occurrences include: Bulgaria (Palaearctic); Southern Kazakhstan; Malaysia; Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru (Neotropical); Southeast Asia to Australia (Balocerini).

Diet

Phloem sap from vascular plants. Feeding on phloem fibers necessitates obligate microbial for nutrient supplementation.

Host Associations

  • Pyrus amygdaliformis Villars, 1807 (Rosaceae) - documented for Balcanocerus agapetomyrmices
  • Lasius bombycina Seifert & Galkowski, 2016 - partner; feeds on excreted by Balcanocerus

Life Cycle

Obligate transmitted transovarially via of female .

Behavior

Some form small of 4–6 individuals. -attendance () observed: and excrete collected by ants. Males of some species (e.g., Macropsidius) produce vibrational calling signals for communication.

Ecological Role

Phloem feeders with reduced genomic ; may show lower adaptive capacity to environmental change compared to relatives with facultative microbiomes. -attended contribute to trophic interactions with .

Similar Taxa

  • TyphlocybinaeClose phylogenetic relatives within ; distinguished by diet (Typhlocybinae feed on mesophyll/parenchyma, Eurymelinae on phloem) and microbiome composition (Typhlocybinae lack obligate , Eurymelinae harbor diverse obligate and facultative symbionts)

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Sources and further reading