PT Journal
AU Mony, R
   Dejean, A
   Bilong, C
   Kenne, M
   Rouland-Lefèvre, C
TI Melissotarsus ants are likely able to digest plant polysaccharides
SO Comptes Rendus – Biologies
JI C. R. Biol.
PY 2013
BP 500
EP 504
VL 336
IS 10
DE Ant-plant interactions; Degradation of plant material; Enzymatic activity; Melissotarsus ants
AB Melissotarsus ants have an extremely specialized set of behaviours. Both workers and gynes tunnel galleries in their host tree bark. Workers walk with their mesothoracic legs pointing upwards and tend Diaspididae hemiptera for their flesh. The ants use their forelegs to plug the galleries with silk that they secrete themselves. We hypothesised that the ants' energetic needs for nearly constant gallery digging could be satisfied through the absorption of host tree tissues; so, using basic techniques, we examined the digestive capacities of workers from two species. We show that workers are able to degrade oligosaccharides and heterosides as well as, to a lesser degree, polysaccharides. This is one of the rare reports on ants able to digest plant polysaccharides other than starch. © 2013 Académie des sciences.
ER