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Ant-tended scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccidae: Myzolecanium) within lowland rain forest trees in Papua New Guinea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Penny J. Gullan ,
Ralf C. Buckley  and
Philip S. Ward
Penny J. Gullan
Affiliation:
Division of Botany & Zoology, Australian National University, GPO Box 4, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
Ralf C. Buckley
Affiliation:
Division of Science & Technology, Griffith University(Gold Coast University College), Southport, Queensland 4215, Australia
Philip S. Ward
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, California 95616–8584, USA
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Abstract

Eight species of Myzolecanium Beccari (Hemiptera: Homoptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae) are reported from ant nests in stem cavities of living lowland rain forest trees in Papua New Guinea. The coccids are confined to this microhabitat but are associated with a taxonomically broad range of ants and host trees. Attendant ants belonged to six species in three genera and two subfamilies: Anonychomyrma Donisthorpe (Dolichoderinae), Crematogaster Lund (Myrmicinae) and Podomyrma F. Smith (Myrmicinae). Host plants belonged to at least five families and included both apparently specialized (with domatia) and unspecialized species. Saplings containing the nests of Anonychomyrma scrutator (F. Smith), Anonychomyrma sp. 1 and Podomyrma laevifrons F. Smith were dissected and the structure of nest chambers and their contents recorded. Only some chambers had entrance holes, but many were interconnected by transverse passages. The coccids were in low numbers and fairly evenly distributed between ant-occupied chambers. The characteristics of the Myzolecanium-ant association, the role of the coccids as trophobionts, and the nature of the plant associations are discussed. Taxonomically, new combinations are proposed by P. J. Gullan for three species previously placed in Cryptostigma Ferris: Myzolecanium endoeucalyptus (Qin & Gullan), M. magnetinsulae (Qin & Gullan), and M. robertsi (Williams & Watson).

Keywords

antsCoccidaecoccidsdomatiamutualismsMyzolecaniumPapua New Guinearain forestscale insectstrophobiosis
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , February 1993 , pp. 81 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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