Re: [Aroid-l] Myrmecophilous Monstera????

From: "Alistair Hay" <ajmhay at hotmail.com> on 2007.02.09 at 05:19:11(15261) I have seen this in shingling juvenile Pothos in Borneo, but whether the relationship is mutualistic I have no idea: nor aware of any research having been done... Again Peter is needed for an Old World answer! Alistair +More From: Jonathan Ertelt Reply-To: Discussion of aroids To: Discussion of aroids Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Myrmecophilous Monstera????Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 10:45:23 -0600>Adam,>>I'd be curious as to whether the ants were truly living, i.e. >nesting et al. under the leaves, or just congregating and using the >leaves as cover. I have seen this sort of protective usage by both >ants and termites as they travel up and down tree trunks, both under >shingle foliage and right in next to bare stem vines that are >anchored to the trees. Of course, especially with termites, >sometimes they build their own tunnels that look remarkably like >thinnish bare-stemmed vines going up the tree. But all these cases I >would suggest are more for travelling purposes and not habitations. >I'll be interested to hear input from others.>>Jonathan>>>>>While we are on the subject of shingling aroids - A friend of mine >>recently got back from Panama where she was doing some field work, >>and told me of how she found ants living under the juvenile >>shingling foliage of a particular Monstera species she collected as >>an herberium specimen. I had never heard of this occurring, and was >>curioius if ants do regularly live under the shingle phase leaves >>in a mutualistic relationship, as they are well-known to do in Hoya >>imbricata as well as several species of Dischidia with similar >>shingling habits. I just figured if it did regularly occur I would >>have heard about it by now. Would be curious if ants are present in >>Rhaphidophora as well.>>>>Just curious!>>>>Adam>>>>_______________________________________________>>Aroid-l mailing list>>Aroid-l@gizmoworks.com>>http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l>>_______________________________________________>Aroid-l mailing list>Aroid-l@gizmoworks.com>http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-l mailing list Aroid-l@gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

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