Inquilinism
Guides
Cyphomyrmex
fungus-growing ants
Cyphomyrmex is a genus of small, drab-colored fungus-growing ants in the tribe Attini, found primarily in the Neotropics. These ants cultivate fungi in the tribe Leucocoprineae as their primary food source, with most species growing fungal nodules rather than full mycelial gardens. Colonies are typically monogynous and small, rarely exceeding 500 workers. The genus is divided into two species complexes: the strigatus complex (South America only) and the rimosus complex (southern North America to South America). Cyphomyrmex represents a basal lineage among attine ants and serves as sister group to Mycetophylax.
fungus-growing-antsattine-antsMyrmicinaeNeotropicalmutualismfungicultureLeucocoprineaemonogynyparasitoid-waspssocial-parasitismchemical-ecologyalkaloid-venomnest-architecturebehavioral-plasticitycytogeneticschromosome-evolutionGuiana-ShieldBrazilPanamaPuerto-RicoMesoamericaArgentinaUnited-StatesTexasCaliforniaFloridayeast-gardensmycelial-gardensrimosus-complexstrigatus-complexage-polyethismtrophallaxisthanatosisfeigning-deathDiapriidaeAcanthopriaMimopriellaMegalomyrmexsocial-parasiteC.-longiscapusC.-transversusC.-laevigatusC.-rimosusC.-minutusC.-lectusC.-cornutusC.-costatuspheromones3-octanolfarnesenestrail-followingalarm-signaldiketopiperazinesantifungal-compoundsdefensive-behaviorcolony-defenseflight-responserecruitmentLanchester's-lawskaryotypechromosome-numberrDNAmicrosatellitesFISHchamber-depthgallery-lengthfire-disturbancesavanna-forest-transitionarboreal-nestingclay-auriclessoil-nestswood-nestsepiphytic-nestsmoss-nestscoconut-nestsdesiccation-susceptibilitymoist-habitatsbasal-attinephylogeneticssister-groupchemical-evolutionvenom-alkaloidsbehavioral-manipulationhost-parasite-interactionecosystem-engineeringnutrient-cyclingdecompositionorganic-matterinsect-fecesexoskeleton-substrategarden-transplantationworker-polymorphismqueen-numberdealate-queensalatesbrood-careecdysis-assistanceforagingsugar-collectionplant-exudatesfungal-domesticationnodule-cultivationmycelium-cultivationagricultural-behaviornest-entrancefunnel-structureexposed-gardenssymbiont-diversitygeographic-variationresearch-modelevolutionary-biologymutualism-evolutionant-fungus-coevolutionchemical-communicationsocial-insectseusocialitycolony-sizesmall-coloniesslow-movementcrypsisdebris-mimicrypredation-avoidanceparasitoid-defensewasp-killingcolony-abandonmentresource-rescuethief-ant-defensevenom-resistancetoxicity-tolerancebehavioral-suppressionplaying-deadalkaloid-manipulationfungal-secondary-metabolitesantibacterial-compoundsantiviral-compoundsgarden-protectionmicrobial-defensenest-microclimatetemperature-regulationhumidity-requirementsdepth-effectsfire-adaptationdisturbance-ecologyhabitat-specificitysubstrate-specializationclay-constructionsoil-manipulationarchitectural-plasticityvertical-nestingembankment-nestingoverhang-nestingpendant-nestsswallow-nest-mimicryresearch-accessibilityfield-biologytropical-ecologyNeotropical-myrmecologybiodiversityconservationinvasive-species-contextnative-speciesbiological-controlIntegrated-Pest-Managementagricultural-ecologyforest-ecologysavanna-ecologytransitional-habitatsdisturbed-areasurban-ecologyanthropogenic-impactclimate-sensitivityhabitat-limitationrange-boundariesdispersalcolonizationestablishmentpopulation-dynamicsdemographycolony-densitynest-spacingintraspecific-competitioninterspecific-competitionterritorialityresource-defensecombat-behavioraggression-levelsrecruitment-behaviorchemical-signalingalarm-pheromonestrail-pheromonesrecognition-cuescuticular-hydrocarbonsvenom-compositiondefensive-secretionsmandibular-glandsDufour's-glandmetapleural-glandsantibiotic-productiongrooming-behaviorfungal-inoculationintegumental-fungiyeast-growthlarval-groominggarden-maintenancesubstrate-preparationfecal-fertilizeranal-trophallaxiscrop-regurgitationfluid-applicationdrying-behaviornodule-formationtransplantation-behaviorgarden-establishmentceiling-gardensroot-associationarchitectural-innovationnest-site-selectionmicrohabitat-choicemoisture-requirementsthermal-bufferingpredator-avoidanceparasite-avoidancedisease-resistancesocial-immunitycollective-behaviordivision-of-labortask-allocationtemporal-polyethismworker-agenurse-workersforager-workerssoldier-caste-absencemonomorphismworker-size-variationqueen-worker-differentiationreproductive-castegyne-productionmale-productionseasonal-reproductioncolony-foundingclaustral-foundingnon-claustral-foundingfungal-inoculumfounding-queenfirst-worker-generationnutritional-dependencyfat-reservesmetabolic-adaptationdigestive-physiologyenzyme-complementfungal-enzymelignocellulose-degradationnutritional-mutualismobligate-mutualismvertical-transmissionhorizontal-transmissionsymbiont-switchingcultivar-replacementgarden-failurecolony-mortalitypopulation-turnovergeneration-timelongevitysurvivorshiplife-expectancyagingsenescencereproductive-investmentcolony-growthcolony-declinebuddingfissionreproduction-modegenetic-structurerelatednessmating-systemnuptial-flightmate-choicesperm-storagecolony-odornestmate-recognitionforeign-rejectionagonistic-behaviorterritorial-markingboundary-defenseraiding-behaviorrobbing-behaviorcleptobiosisdulosisslaveryinquilinismguest-antsmyrmecophilesnest-associatescommensalisminquilinesparasite-tolerancehost-manipulationvenom-alkaloidpyrrolidineindolizidinepiperidinenonanalfarnesenesesquiterpeneagriculture-chemicalgaster-extractchemical-diversitychemical-simplicityevolutionary-precursorderived-chemistrybiosynthetic-pathwaysemiochemicalinfochemicalcommunicationinformation-transfercolony-organizationsocial-structurepolygynyqueen-conditiondealationwing-sheddin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Ant Crickets, Ant-loving Crickets
Myrmecophilidae, commonly known as ant crickets or ant-loving crickets, are a small family of Orthoptera comprising fewer than 100 species across several genera. These minute, wingless crickets are obligate inquilines that live exclusively within ant nests, where they exhibit specialized morphological adaptations including reduced eyes, elongated antennae, and flattened bodies. The family has a global distribution with records from North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Pacific islands, though many species remain poorly documented. Members of this family do not produce sound and lack both wings and tympanal organs.
Sceptobiini
Sceptobiini is a small tribe of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) comprising two genera and five described species. All species are obligate myrmecophiles, living symbiotically within ant nests. The tribe exhibits distinct behavioral divergence between its two clades: Dinardilla species actively interact with host ants, while Sceptobius species occupy more peripheral positions in nests.
Tamalia
Ericaceous Gall Aphids, Manzanita Leaf Gall Aphids
Tamalia is a Nearctic genus of gall-forming aphids and the sole genus in the subfamily Tamaliinae. Eight described species induce galls on woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), primarily on manzanita (Arctostaphylos) and related genera. The genus exhibits a distinctive social system in which multiple foundresses co-occupy galls, a trait that has been exploited by the evolution of socially parasitic inquiline species within the same genus.
Vollenhovia
Vollenhovia is a genus of myrmicine ants distributed primarily in the Australasian and Oriental regions, with notable diversity in India, Sri Lanka, and East Asia. The genus contains species exhibiting remarkable reproductive strategies, including clonal reproduction by males (androgenesis) and queen polymorphism in wing morphology. At least one species, Vollenhovia nipponica, has evolved workerless social parasitism (inquilinism) on congeneric hosts. The genus serves as an important model system for studying the evolution of unusual caste determination, sex determination systems, and reproductive isolation mechanisms.