The leaf-cutter ants of Central America use leaves as food to cultivate the basidiomycete Lepiota in special underground chambers.Streptomyces bacteria coat parts of the ants' cuticles and secrete a potent antibiotic that kills an ascomycete that attacks the cultivated fungus.What ecological relationship exists between Lepiota and the ants?

Question

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The relationship between Lepiota and the ants is mutualistic, as the ants cultivate the fungus for food and in turn, the fungus helps the ants survive. The Streptomyces bacteria also play a role in this mutualistic relationship by protecting the fungus from ascomycetes.

The Leaf-Cutter Ants of Central America Use Leaves as Food