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Author (up) Mony, R.; Dejean, A.; Bilong, C.F.B.; Kenne, M.; Rouland-Lefèvre, C. url  openurl
  Title Melissotarsus ants are likely able to digest plant polysaccharides Type Journal Article
  Year 2013 Publication Comptes Rendus – Biologies Abbreviated Journal C. R. Biol.  
  Volume 336 Issue 10 Pages 500-504  
  Keywords Ant-plant interactions; Degradation of plant material; Enzymatic activity; Melissotarsus ants  
  Abstract 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.  
  Address IRD, UMR BIOEMCO-IBIOS, 32, rue Henri-Varagnat, 93143 Bondy cedex, France  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
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  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 16310691 (Issn) ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
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