Myrmecophytes often host mutualistic ants that serve as defenders against herbivores. However, some ants may cheat by inhabiting a plant without providing any protective services. I use stable isotope analysis of N and C to evaluate the role of four ant species that inhabit the neotropical myrmecophyte Cordia alliodora. The data suggest that two ant species rely at least in part on the consumption of insect material, while two of the ant species rely more heavily on honeydew produced by cohabiting scale insects. This difference in diet indicates that two of these ant species probably serve as mutualistic inhabitants, while two of the ant species are non-mutualists.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Formicidae Azteca pittieri
Species 2: Hymenoptera Formicidae Cephalotes setulifer
Species 3: Boraginaceae Cordia alliodora (Laurel)
Keywords: ant-plant, stable isotope
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