Beltian body
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Beltian bodies)
A Beltian body is a structure found on the leaves of some species of Acacia. Beltian bodies, named after Thomas Belt, are found on the tips of each leaflet and are rich in lipids 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]
[edit] See also
[edit] 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 0632052678.
- ^ 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.
[edit] External links
- Armstrong, W.P.. "Central American Swollen-Thorn Acacias". http://waynesword.palomar.edu/acacia.htm. Retrieved January 2010.
 |
This botany article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
