Animals may develop mutualistic associations with other species, whereby prey offer resources or services in exchange for protection from predators. Alternatively, prey may offer resources or services directly to their would-be predators in exchange for their lives. The latter may be the case of hemipterans that engage in mutualistic interactions with ants by offering a honeydew reward. We test the extent to which a honeydew offering versus partner recognition may play a role as proximate mechanisms deterring ants from predating upon their hemipteran partners. We showed that, when presented with a choice between a hemipteran partner and an alternative prey type, mutualist ants were less likely to attack and more likely to remain probing their hemipteran partners. This occurred even in the absence of an immediate sugary reward, suggesting either an evolved or learned partner recognition response. To a similar extent, however, ants were also less likely to attack the alternative prey type when laced with honey as a proxy for a honeydew reward. This was the case even after the honey had been depleted, suggesting an ability of ants to recognize new potential sources of sugars. Either possibility suggests a degree of innate or learned partner recognition.

动物可能会与其他物种发展互惠关系，从而猎物提供资源或服务以换取对捕食者的保护。或者，猎物可能会直接向潜在的捕食者提供资源或服务，以换取他们的生命。后者可能是通过提供蜜露奖励与蚂蚁进行互惠互动的半翅目动物的情况。我们测试了蜜露产品与合作伙伴认可在多大程度上可以作为阻止蚂蚁捕食其半翅目合作伙伴的近似机制。我们表明，当在半翅目伙伴和另一种猎物类型之间进行选择时，互惠蚂蚁不太可能攻击，更有可能继续探查它们的半翅目伙伴。即使在没有立即的含糖奖励的情况下也会发生这种情况，建议进化或学习的合作伙伴识别反应。然而，在类似的程度上，当用蜂蜜作为蜜露奖励的代理时，蚂蚁也不太可能攻击替代猎物类型。即使在蜂蜜耗尽后也是如此，这表明蚂蚁有能力识别新的潜在糖源。这两种可能性都表明一定程度的先天或后天的合作伙伴识别。