myrmecophily

Myrmecophily is the ecological association between ants (Formicidae) and other organisms. The term covers a spectrum of interactions, from mutualistic and commensal to parasitic, and can involve plants, arthropods, fungi, and microorganisms. The common thread is that ants influence or are influenced by their non-ant partners through nesting, foraging, chemical signaling, or shared resources.

In plants, myrmecophily often takes the form of myrmecophytes, species that provide nesting space and food for ants in exchange for protection or nutrient rewards. Examples include hydnophytic tubers of Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia, as well as domatia in Tococa and Cecropia that house ants and furnish extrafloral nectar or food bodies. In such systems, ants defend the plant against herbivores and competing vegetation, while the plant supplies housing and sustenance.

In other organisms, ants host a variety of specialized myrmecophiles, including beetles (notably Aleocharinae rove beetles), mites, and even some spiders, which live inside ant nests and exploit chemical cues to integrate into the colony. Some myrmecophiles are obligate intruders that rely on ants for transport and nourishment, whereas others are facultative associates that benefit from the nest environment without severely harming the ants.

Myrmecophily also occurs in insects such as certain Lycaenidae caterpillars, which secrete substances attractive to ants that in turn defend and care for them. These complex interactions contribute to ant ecology, influence community dynamics, and illustrate extensive coevolution between ants and their partners.