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Co-existence of ants and an arboreal earthworm in a myrmecophyte of the Indian Western Ghats: anti-predation effect of the earthworm mucus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 April 2006

Laurence Gaume ,
Megha Shenoy ,
Merry Zacharias  and
Renee M. Borges
Laurence Gaume
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India
Megha Shenoy
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India
Merry Zacharias
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India
Renee M. Borges
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India
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Abstract

Arboreal earthworms are scarce in tropical rain forests, being confined to tree trunks or epiphytes (Fragoso & Rojas-Fernandez 1996). Their above-ground presence might be attributed to (1) temporary responses to flooding (Adis & Righi 1989), (2) permanent responses to acidity, flooding and anoxia of very wet forest soils (Lee 1983), (3) drought (Fragoso & Rojas-Fernandez 1996), (4) accidental events, e.g. mudslides (Picado 1911), or (5) anti-predation responses, e.g. escape from army ants (Gotwald 1995).

Keywords

anti-predation mechanismant-plantdomatiaHumboldtiaIndiaPerionyxrepellent secretiontropical forest
Type
Brief Report
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , May 2006 , pp. 341 - 344
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press

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