Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
2010
Abstract
Rhytidoponera violacea (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is a keystone seed disperser in Kwongan heathland habitats of southwestern Australia. Like many myrmecochorous ants, little is known about the basic biology of this species. In this study various aspects of the biology of R. violacea were examined and the researchers evaluated how these characteristics may influence seed dispersal. R. violacea nesting habits (relatively shallow nests), foraging behavior (scramble competitor and lax food selection criteria), and other life history characteristics complement their role as a mutualist that interacts with the seeds of many plant species.
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Lubertazzi D, Lubertazzi MAA, McCoy N, Gove AD, Majer JD, Dunn RR. 2010. The ecology of a keystone seed disperser, the ant Rhytidoponera violace. Journal of Insect Science 10:158 available online: insectscience.org/10.158
Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1673/031.010.14118
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
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