Abstract
The interspecific associations amongAphis gossypii Glover (Aphididae: Homoptera),Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius) (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) andCamponotus compressus Fabricius (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) were studied in an unsprayed guava ecosystem under natural conditions. The predator(M. sexmaculatus) and the ant (Ccompressus) were positively associated with the aphid(A. gossypii), while a negative association was recorded between the predator and the ant. For quantifying these associations in terms of overlapping and exclusion, spatial interspecific association analysis was carried out. Between aphid and predator, and aphid and ant, partial overlapping (γ = 0.44 and γ = 0.55, respectively) was obtained. Thus, although the association between aphid and predator was positive, it did not seem to be strong. Between the aphid and ant it was suggestive of mutualism, without obligate interdependence. Moreover, the predator and ant showed a tendency to independent occurrence with respect to the aphid when the spatial correlations were calculated. The predator and ant showed spatially almost complete exclusion.
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Verghese, A., Tandon, P.L. Interspecific associations amongAphis gossypii,Menochilus sexmaculatus andCamponotus compressus in a guava ecosystem. Phytoparasitica 15, 289–297 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02979544
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02979544