Of ants and trees: ‘Evolutionary déjà vu’ in the tropical rainforest
Myrmelachista ants, which excavate nesting cavities in living tree stems, keep understory leaves free of debris and pathogens. Credit: Rodolfo Probst, University of Utah Ants are famous for their regimented and complex social behaviors. In the tropics, they are also famous for forming mutualisms with plants. Certain species of trees have conspicuous hollow swellings that