Myrmecocystus honeypot ants have a species-specific resident gut microbiome

Species identity strongly shapes the gut microbiome community composition across six Myrmecocystus honeypot ant species, with colony-level variation in M. arenarius, M. depilis, and M. mexicanus.

• Why it matters: Spoilage-free storage in replete crops likely depends on gut microbes, but the microbiome’s baseline composition across species, colonies, castes, and organs was unknown.
• What they did: Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the study profiled microbial communities across multiple colonies, castes, and organs from Myrmecocystus honeypot ants over four years.
• The result: Replete crops of M. mexicanus and M. depilis were enriched in Fructilactobacillus and other acid-producing bacteria, while halophiles were prominent in M. flaviceps and M. wheeleri, suggesting microbiome traits linked to stable stored fluids.

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