Selection of epiphyte seeds by ant-garden ants

An inventory of 501 ant gardens inhabited by Camponotus femoratus Fabr., Cr ematogaster limata parabiotica Forel in parabiosis or alone, and Pachycondy la goeldii Forel enabled us to record 11 epiphyte species. Each epiphyte sp ecies can be associated with any ant species, but a factorial correspondenc e analysis highlighted preferential associations. P. goeldii was preferenti ally associated with Aechmea mertensii Schult. and Anthurium gracile Rudge, whereas C. femoratus and Cr. l. parabiotica were associated with Codonanth e calcarata Mig., Peperomia macrostachya Vahl., and Philodendron spp. The c arrying of diaspores by ants also varied according to ant and epiphyte spec ies. Each ant species transported certain epiphyte diaspores rather than ot hers and the proportions of carried diaspores corresponded to those of matu re epiphytes in ant gardens. Seed attractiveness and retrieval to the nest still occur when elaiosomes are removed. They are thus not indispensable an d reinforce dispersal. Ecological factors may also explain the preferential associations observed and they may intervene at different levels.