| Melissotarsus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Melissotarsus beccarii worker | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Melissotarsus Emery, 1877[1] |
| Type species | |
| Melissotarsus beccarii Emery, 1877[1] | |
| Diversity[2] | |
| 4 species | |
Melissotarsus is a rare Africangenus ofants in thesubfamilyMyrmicinae.[3] They are known from theAfrotropics andMalagasy regions, where their nests are located in living wood, built by tunneling through the wood under the bark. They are rarely seen outside of their nests, which may contribute to their perceived rarity.[4] However, they are considered pest insects because of damage they can cause to trees, including economically important ones such asmangos and trees in the familyBurseraceae, includingAucoumea klaineana,Dacryodes buettneri, andDacryodes edulis.[5]
Melissotarsus live in association with armored scale insects, familyDiaspididae.[5][6] A study in Cameroon estimated that a singleDacryodes edulis tree hosted about 1.5 millionMelissotarsus beccarii (larvae included) and half a millionDiaspis armored scale insects; the densities were about 43 and 15 thousandM. beccarii andDiaspis per square metre bark, respectively.[5] The ants appear to consume the secretions used to manufacture armored scales because Diaspididae are completely naked when ant-attended; the ant nest itself remains completely hidden under the bark of the tree.[6][7]
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