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Myrmecophagy is a feeding behavior defined by the consumption of termites or ants, particularly as pertaining to those animal species whose diets are largely or exclusively composed of said insect types. Literally, myrmecophagy means "ant-eating" (Ancient Greek: murmēx, "ants" and phagein, "to eat") rather than "termite eating" (for which the ...
myrmecophagy. biology. Also known as: anteating. Learn about this topic in these articles: mammalian teeth. In mammal: Teeth. …termites, a specialization generally termed myrmecophagy (“ant eating”).
Aug 24, 2022 · The myrmecophagy that has evolved in multiple mammalian orders provides an ideal model for hologenomic studies to elucidate the genetic basis of evolutionarily convergent dietary adaptations and host-microbiota interactions.
Dec 1, 2023 · Abstract. Myrmecophagy is one of the most common dietary specializations among vertebrates. Ants are an important food resource for many lizard species. Here, we use a large dataset on ant consumption by lizards (345 species, 33 families) to explore evolutionary and ecological correlates of myrmecophagy across the evolutionary history of ...
Aug 24, 2022 · PMID: 37124465. PMCID: PMC10139702. DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwac174. Abstract. Highly specialized myrmecophagy (ant- and termite-eating) has independently evolved multiple times in species of various mammalian orders and represents a textbook example of phenotypic evolutionary convergence.
377 species. Myrmecophagy is a feeding behavior defined by the consumption of termites or ants, particularly as pertaining to those animal species whose diets are largely or exclusively composed of said insect types. Myrmecophagy is found in a number of land-dwelling animals including reptiles and amphibians, a number of New World bird species ...
The third type of spider-ant association discussed is myrmecophagy—or predatory specialization on ants. A table of known spider myrmecophages is provided as is information on their biology and hunting strategies. Myrmecophagy provides these predators with an essentially unlimited food supply and may even confer other protections to the spiders.
