The Mediterranean serves as a habitat for numerous species of ants. These ants also accomodate a diverse assemblage of myrmecophiles. In contrast to temperate Europe, these myrmecophiles have received comparatively less attention.
Myrmecophiles that can be found include mites, crickets, isopods, beetles and silverfish. Seed harvesting Messor ants probably support the highest diversity of myrmecophiles, probably because of the large dimensions of the nests and the presence of seed chambers and waste deposits.
Studies are in collaboration with the University of Córdoba (Miquel Gaju-Ricart and Rafael Molero Baltanás) and involve different techniques including cuticular hydrocarbon analyses (with Tom Wenseleers), microbiome analyses (with Nicky Wybouw and Piotr Łukasik) , stable isotope analyses (with Pascal Boeckx) and behavioral experiments.
Myrmecophilous silverfish radiated into diverse species of which a number are restricted to Messor ants. We found that silverfish restricted to Messor ants show advanced behavior to integrate into the nest and keep the chemical recognition cues of their host even after moulting (PDF).
Neoasterolepisma silverfish
Neoasterolepisma silverfish, Oochrotus beetles and Messor host
Oochrotus unicolor
Myrmecophilus ochraceus
The beetle Oochrotus unicolor is a typical Messor associate and prefers the waste chambers with seed remnants and husks. Seeds and plant material appear to be the main food resources of this commensal (PDF). We also encounter the cricket Myrmecophilus ochraceus inside Messor (and other ant) nest. This weird-looking and wingless myrmecophile climbs onto their host and seems to lick the cuticular secretions produced by its host.