Environmental and dietary predictors of microbial symbiosis in the ant Paraponera clavata

In a Costa Rican population of the bullet ant, Paraponera clavata, there is heterogeneity in the presence of Rhizobiales bacteria. Here we examine ecological and dietary factors that may affect the presence of Bartonella within a colony. Environmental conditions of the nesting sites and dietary preferences of colonies were evaluated, and diet manipulations were conducted to evaluate the effect of nutrients on the symbiosis between Paraponera and the Rhizobiales bacteria. We found that the distribution of the bacterial symbionts in the colonies is nonrandom and reflects the abiotic environment and diet of the host ant.