Where do Matabele ants live?
sub-Saharan Africa
The Matabele ant (Megaponera analis, formerly known as M. foetens and Pachycondyla analis) is a group-raiding ponerine species (Fig. 1) occurring in most of sub-Saharan Africa.
How big are Matabele ants?
25 millimetres
Their sophisticated raiding behaviour gave them the common name Matabele ant after the Matabele tribe, fierce warriors who overwhelmed various other tribes during the 1800s. With some individuals reaching up to 25 millimetres (0.98 in) in length, M. analis is one of the world’s largest ants.
What do Matabele ants eat?
termites
Matabele ants, aka Megaponera analis, are centimetre-long raiders who specialise in attacking and eating termites, in particular the family Macrotermitinae – aka the fungus-growing termites. These ants are fast and agile, with a bite and sting that even humans do well to avoid.
What is queen termite?
A queen termite has a long lifespan and is typically the oldest termite in the colony. Termite queens can live 25 to 50 years, with peak egg production for up to 10 years. When the queen dies and the pheromone she uses to block reproductives’ development is no longer produced, a new queen will develop in the colony.
Where does the Eciton army ant live with respect to geographical location?
Eciton burchellii ants are found in the tropical jungles of Central and South America, from Mexico to Paraguay.
How big is a siafu ant?
six inches long
Siafu, also known as driver ants, army ants, giant ants, or giant ants of the Amazon are giant red ants. They are typically six inches long, with their size and appearance varying as a result of the quantity of fungus they are fed as larvae.
Is there a king termite?
Termite colonies have a queen and king. Next to the queen, the king is the most important member of the colony when it comes to keeping the colony well populated. King termites are male termites which are important in the evolution of a successful termite colony.
How did the Matabele ant get its name?
Their sophisticated raiding behaviour gave them the common name Matabele ant after the Matabele tribe, fierce warriors who overwhelmed various other tribes during the 1800s. With some individuals reaching up to 25 millimetres (0.98 in) in length, M. analis is one of the world’s largest ants.
What kind of ant is Megaponera analis?
Megaponera analis is the sole species of the genus Megaponera. They are a strictly termite-eating (termitophagous) ponerine ant species widely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa and most commonly known for their column-like raiding formation when attacking termite feeding sites.
What are antants?
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera.
What is the largest type of ant in the world?
With some individuals reaching up to 25 millimetres (0.98 in) in length, M. analis is one of the world’s largest ants. Megaponera is a genus of ponerine ant first defined by Gustav Mayr in 1862 for Formica analis ( Latreille, 1802), the sole species belonging to the genus to date.