A Desert Leafcutter queen (Acromyrmex versicolor) tends to larvae in an incipient fungus garden. Tucson, Arizona, USA - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography - Insect Pictures

Acromyrmex

is the more diverse of the two leafcutting ant genera (the other is Atta). These distinctive spiny insects cut fresh vegetation to feed to a specialized fungus that grows only in ant nests. The fungus serves as the ants' food source and in return is cultivated and dispersed by the ants. Like all fungus-growing ants, Acromyrmex is found only in the new world tropics and subtropics.

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Young fungus-growing ant queens such as this Acromyrmex versicolorleave the established fungus gardens of their parent colonies to start new nests. These queens carry with them a pellet of fungal inoculum in a small pouch in their mouthparts, and upon excavating a new nest they expel and fertilize the pellet, shown here with two freshly-laid ant eggs.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

A Desert Leafcutter queen (Acromyrmex versicolor) tends to larvae in an incipient fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Acromyrmex versicolor foundress queens in an incipient fungus garden. This species is normally polygynous during the colony founding stage, but reverts to single-queen colonies after the first workers emerge.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Acromyrmex versicolor desert leafcutter ant nest in an urban setting.

Green Valley, Arizona, USA

A Desert Leafcutter queen (Acromyrmex versicolor) tends to larvae in an incipient fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Acromyrmex versicolor, the desert leafcutter.

Laboratory colony at Arizona State University

Acromyrmex versicolor, the desert leafcutter.

Laboratory colony at Arizona State University

Acromyrmex versicolor desert leafcutter ant carrying a fragment of a mesquite seed pod.

Green Valley, Arizona, USA

The nest entrances of the desert leafcutter ant Acromyrmex versicolor are often nearly completely round, appearing like a miniature volcano.

Green Valley, Arizona, USA

A Desert Leafcutter queen (Acromyrmex versicolor) tends to larvae in an incipient fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

A Desert Leafcutter queen (Acromyrmex versicolor) tends to larvae in an incipient fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

A Desert Leafcutter queen (Acromyrmex versicolor) tends to larvae in an incipient fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Canon EOS 20D |

More details: exif |

Original size: 3504x2336 |

Current: 800x534 |

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Keywords: queen fungi nest fungus insect insects evolution larvae versicolor ecology brood entomology formicidae mutualism myrmicinae attini acromyrmex

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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013

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