Cohabitation networks: exploring how termites and ants share nests in Amazonian forests

Cohabitation between ants and termites is a widespread yet understudied ecological interaction in tropical forests. This study explores the patterns of termite–ant cohabitation networks across different forest coverages in the Colombian Amazon, focusing on taxonomic composition, nesting substrates, and ant functional guilds. A total of 413 specimens were collected from 283 cohabitation networks, identifying 197 interacting species (110 ants and 87 termites). The network exhibited moderate connectance (C = 0.279) and high modularity (Q = 0.602), indicating that only a subset of potential interactions occurred, with distinct species groups forming stronger intragroup connections. Ant genera such as Pheidole , Camponotus , Crematogaster , Acropyga , and the species Pseudoponera stigma played central roles, interacting with multiple termite genera, while termite genera like Nasutitermes , Heterotermes , and Araujotermes emerged as key nodes due to their nesting habits and high abundance. Cohabitation patterns varied across forest types, with primary forests supporting more complex networks than secondary forests, underscoring the importance of habitat conservation in maintaining biodiversity. Wood-based nests supported the highest diversity of cohabiting ants, and generalist ants—particularly Pseudoponera stigma and species of Pheidole —were frequent connectors across modules. These findings provide new insights into the ecological mechanisms underlying termite–ant cohabitation and emphasize the importance of preserving structurally complex habitats to maintain these interactions.