TY - JOUR JF - mdrsjrns JO - JCP VL - 2 IS - 1 PY - 2013 Y1 - 2013/3/01 TI - Mutualistic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) associated with aphids in central and southwestern parts of Iran TT - N2 - Ants consume or store the honeydew which is secreted by aphids or other homopteran insects. Major benefit of ant attendance for aphids is protection against natural enemies. A study was carried out during 2009-2010, to determine the mutualistic association between ants and aphids on different host plants in some parts of Khuzestan and Esfahan provinces. A total of 20 ant species belonging to 12 genera and 3 subfamilies were collected and identified. Among them, four species are new to Iranian ant fauna as follows: Monomorium libanicum Tohme; Monomorium qarahe Collingwood & Agosti; Monomorium mayri Forel and Lasius paralienus Seifert. The collected myrmecophilous aphids were 33 species belonging to 3 families and 5 subfamilies. Details and mechanisms of such associations between ants and aphids are unknown to us. More detailed investigations are needed in each case to adequately understand them. SP - 1 EP - 12 AU - Shiran, Elahe AU - Mossadegh, Mohammad Saeed AU - Esfandiari, Mehdi AD - Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran. KW - Iran KW - Khuzestan KW - mutualism KW - ant KW - Aphid KW - Esfahan UR - http://jcp.modares.ac.ir/article-3-11709-en.html ER -