Formicidae

Platt, Steven G., Rainwater, Thomas R. & McMurry, Scott T., 2021, Fauna associated with the nests of Crocodylus moreletii and Crocodylus moreletii × acutus in Belize, Journal of Natural History 55 (3 - 4), pp. 133-149 : 138

Ants ( Formicidae )

We found ant colonies in 18 (13.0%) C. moreletii nests,but not in the nests of hybrid crocodiles. The ants we collected in 1997 and 1998 were later identified as Pheidole sp. (1 nest) and Solenopsis germinata (6 nests). Our frequent visits to monitor nesting outcomes afforded an opportunity to observe ant colonisation of three crocodile nest mounds. In each case, colonisation of the mound occurred 10–14 days after egg-laying by female crocodiles (ca. 15–20 days after mound construction). In four nests hosting ant colonies, the attending female crocodile failed to open the mound and liberate the hatchlings, which were killed and partially consumed by ants. Ants in another nest were able to penetrate the eggshell membrane that was exposed by swell cracks in the shell ( Ferguson 1985) and consume the contents of the egg. Ants also consumed the contents of eggs damaged during laying and those partially eaten by nest predators. We found nothing to indicate that ants are capable of damaging intact crocodile eggs. The persistence and ultimate fate of ant colonies inhabiting nest mounds after crocodile hatching occurred is unknown.