Nest Tree Selectivity by the Tropical Ant, Paraponera clavata

Keywords

ants, neotropical ant, Parnera clavata, nectaries

Abstract

Parnera clavata is a large, arboreal foraging, ground nesting, Neotropical ant which appears to rely heavily upon nectar from extra-floral nectaries. In a Costa Rican forest this ant built nests at the base of ten species of trees but seemed to select preferentially the tree Pentaclethra macroloba (Bennett & Breed 1985). These authors suggested that trees with extra-floral nectaries and buttresses may be selected by P. clavata. In Panama we found P. clavata nests at the base of 76 species of trees and shrubs, 1 palm, and 2 lianas on a 50 ha forest plot. The palm and 4 tree species were positively associated with apoP. clavata, while 4 species (3 shrubs and 1 tree) were negatively associated. Buttressing and the presence of extra-floral nectaries were not conspicuous features of nest trees.

Original Publication Citation

Belk, M.C., H.L. Black, C.D. Jorgensen, S.P. Hubbell, and R.B. Foster. 1989. Nest tree selectivity by the tropical ant Paraponera clavata. Biotropica 21:173-177.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

1989-6

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/8216

Publisher

Biotropica

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS