Dejean A. auteur aut IRD Petitclerc F. auteur aut IRD Roux Olivier auteur aut IRD Orivel J. auteur aut IRD Leroy C. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access In the mutualisms involving the myrmecophyte Cecropia obtusa and Azteca ovaticeps or A. alfari, both predatory, the ants defend their host trees from enemies and provide them with nutrients (myrmecotrophy). A. ovaticeps provisioned with prey and then N-15-enriched food produced more individuals than did control colonies (not artificially provisioned). This was not true for A. alfari colonies, possibly due to differences in the degree of maturity of the colonies for the chosen range of host tree sizes (less than 3 m in height). Myrmecotrophy was demonstrated for both Azteca species as provisioning the ants with N-15-enriched food translated into higher delta N-15 values in host plant tissues, indicating that nitrogen passed from the food to the plant. Thus, the predatory activity of their guest ants benefits the Cecropia trees not only because the ants protect them from defoliators since most prey are phytophagous insects but also because the plant absorbs nutrients. specialized Azteca Mutualismes plantes-fourmis Cecropia obtusa Isotopes stables Myrmecotrophie 080 074 ? 335 3 214-219 2012 1631-0691 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010055799 10.1016/j.crvi.2012.01.002 1631-0691 [F B010055799] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010055799 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2012/05/010055799.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2012-06-01 2017-08-23 fdi:010055799 fre