Ants and termites are highly aggregated and have relatively stable populations in most tropical and subtropical environments. These social insects, therefore, account for a significant portion of invertebrates preyed upon by many mammals. Myrmecophagy, or ant- and termite-eating, is a foraging strategy used by over 200 mammal species. Of that number, nearly 46% consume both ants and termites and 12% are obligate myrmecophagous predators, consuming > 90% ants or termites by volume. Detailed knowledge of the feeding ecology for myrmecophagous mammals is critical towards understanding their impacts on ants and termite populations as well as prey-predator relationships.
- Teacher: 孫敬閔 Sun Ching-Min