Cephalotes - # - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography - Insect Pictures

Cephalotes

is a diverse genus of heavily-armored, tree-dwelling myrmicine ants found in forested regions of the new world tropics and subptropics. A number of rainforest canopy species show the unusual habit of controlled gliding flight when they are knocked from tree branches. Most species are polymorphic, having a "soldier" caste with an enlarged head used for blocking the nest entrances.

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Cephalotes varians

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians turtle ant soldier emerging from the nest.

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians. A soldier ant blocks the nest entrance with her head- visible as a broad disk- while a second soldier walks by. Competition for limited nesting sites is fierce, and soldiers prevent other ant species from usurping their territory.

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians turtle ants nest in pre-existing plant cavities such as those carved by beetle larvae. Because competition for these cavities can be intense, turtle ants have a specialized soldier caste (at right) for blocking the holes.

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians turtle ant worker tending to a larva.

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians turtle ant soldier showing the head disk used for guarding nest entrances.

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians

Florida Keys, USA

Cephalotes varians

Florida Keys, USA

Canon EOS 50D |

More details: exif |

Original size: 3832x2692 |

Current: 800x562 |

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Keywords: green ant insects myrmicinae worker ant turtle ant

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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013

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