M. Heil et al., CHEMICAL CONTENTS OF MACARANGA FOOD BODIES - ADAPTATIONS TO THEIR ROLE IN ANT ATTRACTION AND NUTRITION, Functional ecology, 12(1), 1998, pp. 117-122
1. Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) is a paleotropical tree genus comprising
myrmecophytic and non-myrmecophytic species. All species are presumed
to possess food bodies (FBs) to maintain or attract ants as anti-herbi
vore defence. 2. The hypothesis was tested that Macaranga species diff
ering in their mode of association with ants would produce FBs differi
ng in their chemical composition. We investigated contents of carbohyd
rates, proteins and lipids in FBs of four myrmecophytic and one non-my
rmecophytic Macaranga as well as one Parthenocissus (Vitaceae) species
. 3. On a dry weight basis, FBs of myrmecophytes contained relatively
higher amounts of proteins compared to carbohydrates than those of non
-myrmecophytes, Soluble carbohydrates showed species;specific patterns
and were found in especially high amounts in both non-myrmecophytes.
Furthermore, Parthenocissus FBs contained higher amounts of soluble co
mpared to polymerous substances not only in carbohydrates but also in
proteins. 4. FBs seem to be specifically adapted to their respective r
ole in ant attraction and nutrition, with myrmecophytes providing ants
with high amounts of lipids and proteins and non-myrmecophytes mainly
offering carbohydrates in the form of common soluble sugars.