Keywords
Social Insects
How to Cite
Abstract
During Earth's evolutionary history, some organisms have developed the ability to grow their own food. Ants of the Attini tribe present as a habit the cultivation of fungus, which are used in their nutrition. This cultivation takes place inside the ants' nests, in the so-called fungus gardens. In this complex mutualistic relationship, the ants are responsible for supplying symbiotic fungus with
specific material (feces, insect carcasses and decaying or fresh plant material), protecting them against parasites and predators and carrying out their dispersal. In turn, fungus degrade complex molecules, are used as the main food of the larvae and are part of the diet of adult ants. In addition to cultivated fungus, other microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungus are often found associated with fungus gardens. However, little is known about the diversity and function of microorganisms present in Attini ants` nests. Thus, this bibliographic review aims to present the characteristics of the relationship between ants and the cultivated fungus, as well as the interference of other microorganisms in these microhabitats.
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