HOW A GROUND-DWELLING FOREST ANT SPECIES FAVORS THE PROLIFERATION OF AN ENDEMIC SCALE INSECT (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE, HOMOPTERA, STICTOCOCCIDAE)

An ecological survey enabled us to establish that Anoplolepis tenella Santschi, a ground-dwelling forest ant species, can be considered as a pest permitting the dissemination of Stictococcus vayssierei Richard (Homoptera: Stictococcidae) in manioc fields in southern Cameroon, esp ecially when the forest litter has not been destroyed. In this situati on that permits A. tenella colonies to persist, the number of S. vayss ierei individuals per 9-month old manioc cutting (68+/-12.4) is signif icantly superior to that in well-cleared fields where the litter was b urned and the ground ploughed (24+/-8; p <10(-4)). Along with this dif ference in level of attack is a corresponding difference in resistance to the dry season: 76.25% of the cuttings wither during this season i n the former case versus 1.4% in the latter case (p <10(-4)). The latt er case permits the colonization of pioneer ant species such as Myrmic aria opaciventris Emery, and to a lesser degree Camponotus acvapimensi s Mayr and Paratrechina sp. at the expense of A. tenella.