A minor Eciton burchellii army ant worker serves as a stepping stone by sitting in a gap in the trail. Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography - Insect Pictures

Eciton

is a large, conspicuous army ant endemic to the neotropics. Most species have a soldier caste with mandibles modified into ice-tong shaped hooks for defense against vertebrates. One rain forest species, E. burchellii, is known for its expansive epigaeic swarm raids.

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Eciton burchellii has one of the more complex caste systems among ants, with at least four distinct types of worker. Here, a media worker (at left ) passes a soldier.

Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador

Eciton burchellii soldier. The bizarre globular eyes of army ants are a result of the ants' having re-evolved functional lenses from the vestiges of a blind ancestor.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador

Eciton burchellii, along the bivouac surface

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador

A minor Eciton burchellii army ant worker serves as a stepping stone by sitting in a gap in the trail.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador

Eciton burchellii soldier standing guard at the edge of a trail.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador

Eciton burchellii soldier.

Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador

An Eciton hamatum soldier stands guard over a column of army ants returning from the front.

Armenia, Belize

Eciton hamatum army ant soldier. This portrait is a composite of 32 photographs taken at different focal depths and stacked to produce an artificially sharp image.

Armenia, Belize

Eciton hamatum soldier. The odd, globular eyes of army ants are the evolutionary result of resuscitating a vestigial organ inherited from blind ancestors.

Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador

A minor Eciton burchellii army ant worker serves as a stepping stone by sitting in a gap in the trail.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador

A minor Eciton burchellii army ant worker serves as a stepping stone by sitting in a gap in the trail.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador

A minor Eciton burchellii army ant worker serves as a stepping stone by sitting in a gap in the trail.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador

Canon EOS 7D |

More details: exif |

Original size: 4614x3150 |

Current: 800x546 |

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Keywords: efficiency animal behavior ecitoninae ant trails hole plugging ant ergonomics

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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013

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