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Arthropods, 2025, 14(4): 187-191
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Article

Two new host plant records for Asian weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina Fab., 1775)

Pawan U. Gajbe
Department of Zoology, Shri Mathuradas Mohota College of Science, Nagpur 440024, India

Received 8 April 2025;Accepted 15 May 2025;Published online 21 May 2025;Published 1 December 2025
IAEES

Abstract
The Asian weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina Fab., 1775 is an arboreal ant species, which constructs leaf nests in the upper canopy of trees. This ant species is distributed in the tropical regions of Asia, Australia, and western Pacific islands. Being an arboreal ant, O. smaragdina has a mutualistic association with its host plants. Approximately 175 plant species have been recorded as host plants of O. smaragdina. In this study, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., a common garden plant belonging to family Malvaceae, and Heliconia rostrata Ruiz and Pav., an ornamental plant belonging to family Heliconiaceae are being reported as host plants of O. smaragdina.

Keywords ant-plant interaction;Heliconia rostrata;Hibiscus rosa-sinensis;myrmecophily.


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