Beltian body
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Beltian body
A Beltian body is a detachable tip found on the pinnules of some species of Acacia. Beltian bodies, named after Thomas Belt, are rich in lipids, sugars and proteins and often red in colour. They are believed to have evolved in a symbiotic relationship with ants. The ants live inside special plant structures (Domatia) or near the plant and keep away herbivores.
Other ant-mutualism related plant structures include Beccarian, Mullerian and pearl bodies.[1][2]
Unique among spiders for its predominantly vegetarian diet, Bagheera kiplingi feeds almost exclusively on Beltian bodies.[3]
Related articles
References
- ^ Eubanks, Micky D.; Kimberly A. Nesci, Mette K. Petersen, Zhiwei Liu & Horacio Bonfil Sanchez (1997). "The exploitation of an ant-defended host plant by a shelter-building herbivore". Oecologia 109 (3): 454–460. doi:10.1007/s004420050105.
- ^ Herrera, Carlos M.; Olle Pellmyr (2002). Plant-animal Interactions: An Evolutionary Approach. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0-632-05267-8.
- ^ Meehan, Christopher J.; Eric J. Olson, Matthew W. Reudink, T. Kurt & Robert L. Curry (2009). "Herbivory in a spider through exploitation of an ant–plant mutualism". Current Biology 19 (19): 1591–1682. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2009.08.049. PMID 19825348.
External links
- Armstrong, W.P.. "Central American Swollen-Thorn Acacias". http://waynesword.palomar.edu/acacia.htm. Retrieved January 2010.
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