A review of flora and fauna in Malaysia that interact with ants

This paper compiles reports on interactions of ants with other organisms in Malaysia. Interaction involving ants is diverse and complex. With approximately 20,000 known ant species so far, interactions among ants include commensalisms and parasitism. A great number of myrmecophiles organisms (insect and other arthropods) live together with ants in a symbiotic relationship. There are also ants that act as myrmecophiles with plants. These ants protect plants from pests and obtain shelter in hollow spaces and chambers of the plants in return. All 12 ant subfamilies that exist in Malaysia interact with other organisms in one way or another. Being the largest ant group, Myrmicinae recorded the highest number of genera that interact with six plants and 20 other fauna, respectively, followed by Ponerinae (12 with fauna; 0 with flora), Formicinae (11 with fauna; 4 with flora), Proceratiinae (3 with fauna; 0 with flora), Dolichoderinae (2 with fauna; 3 with flora), Leptanillinae (2 with fauna, 0 with flora), Ectatomminae and Dorylinae (1 with fauna each), and Pseudomyrmecinae (0 with fauna; 1 with flora). It is believed that there are many more ants that interact with other organisms in Malaysia that have not been recorded. Information of such interactions is crucial in order to further understand the role of ants in the natural ecosystem. Information on ant interactions can be utilized in other areas such as pest control.