The diverse world of parasites − guests of tropical army ants

Abstract

As top arthropod predators, army ants play a significant ecological role in tropical rainforests. However, it is often forgotten that they also promote local biodiversity, as a variety of organisms benefit from their presence. Army ant colonies provide habitats for hundreds of species, including antbirds, inhabitants of garbage dumps, and parasitic “subtenants” such as various species of beetles, flies, and silverfish. Many of these visitors rely on the presence of the ants. As nomadic hunters, army ants require large hunting territories and are therefore threatened with local extinction by the destruction and fragmentation of rainforests. Therefore, their large number of benefiting species with their remarkable adaptations to living with the ants, is also at risk. If we want to preserve this fascinating microcosm, we must increase our efforts to conserve tropical rainforests.