Ant Assemblages in Banana Bunchy Top Disease Infected Fields of Thamarassery, Kozhikode District, Kerala, India: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are ecologically important components of agroecosystems and frequently associate with honeydew-producing aphids. This preliminary study assessed the diversity and taxonomic composition of ants associated with banana aphid colonies in Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD)-infected banana plantations in Thamarassery Panchayat, Kozhikode District, Kerala. Sampling was conducted at five locations during November and December 2023. Ants associated with banana mats and suckers were collected using hand collection, pitfall traps, full searches, aspirator collection, and baiting methods. Collected specimens were preserved in 70% ethanol and identified morphologically to species level. Thirty ant species representing 21 genera and five subfamilies were recorded. The Results section reports Myrmicinae as the dominant subfamily, followed by Formicinae, Ponerinae, Dolichoderinae, and Pseudomyrmecinae. Several recorded species were observed on banana plants in association with Pentalonia nigronervosa and were described as honeydew feeders, predators, or both. The findings provide preliminary baseline information on ant assemblages occurring in BBTD-affected banana fields in Thamarassery and indicate substantial taxonomic diversity within the sampled agroecosystems. Because the observations establish occurrence and co-association rather than causation, further studies with broader temporal coverage, quantitative sampling, uninfected comparison fields, and direct measurements of ant–aphid interactions are required to clarify the ecological roles of individual ant species and their relevance to banana aphid and BBTD management.