Diversity and structure of ant communities associated with Toxoptera aurantii (Boyer, 1941) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in cocoa farms in the Centre Region of Cameroon: Role of anthropogenic activities
Paper Details
Diversity and structure of ant communities associated with Toxoptera aurantii (Boyer, 1941) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in cocoa farms in the Centre Region of Cameroon: Role of anthropogenic activities
Abstract
Ant species encountered with hemipterans are or not associated with them. In such associations, ants disseminate hemipterans on the host plants, protect them from their enemies or from climate constraints. The study of diversity and variation of ant species compositions associated with Toxoptera auranntii was conducted from March 2020 to February 2021 on cocoa trees according to the decreasing urbanization gradient from Mfoundi (locality which is highly urbanized) to the peri-urban zones and forest zones. In each locality, ¼ ha per cocoa farm was sampled monthly to check different association types or models on cocoa trees between ant species and Toxoptera auranntii; in 60 cocoa farms. Ants and the aphid associated were monthly collected on cocoa trees and preserved in labeled pillboxes tubes containing 70% ethanol, for ulterior identification in the laboratory. A total of 72 ant species belonging to 20 genera, 6 subfamilies (Aenictinae, Dolicoderinae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae, Pseudomyrmicinae) were recorded during this study. Many genera such as Camponotus, Crematogaster, Tapinoma, etc were associated with T. aurantii. From the overall ant population collected, species of Myrmicinae subfamily (86.11%) were most associated with T. aurantii; the Nyong-et-Mfoumou locality had the highest number of ant species associated with T. aurantii (48 species), but majority of those species were common to the other localities, except in the Mfoundi a highly urbanized locality. Myrmicaria opaciventris and Pheidole megacephala were the most frequently species associated with T. aurantii; they seem to impact positively and significantly the aphid populations on the cocoa farms.
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Dr. Yede, Mballa Ndzié Paul Arnaud, Tadu Zéphirin, Bilong Bilong Charles Félix (2023), Diversity and structure of ant communities associated with Toxoptera aurantii (Boyer, 1941) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in cocoa farms in the Centre Region of Cameroon: Role of anthropogenic activities; JBES, V23, N3, September, P139-151
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