Uneasy relationship: a Trachymyrmex fungus-growing ant (left) encounters a Megalomyrmex adamsae that is a parasite of her nest. Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography

Megalomyrmex

is a genus of slender myrmicine ants found in wet Neotropical forests. Some species, such as M. symmetochus pictured below, are specialist predators or parasites of fungus-growing ants.

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Megalomyrmex leoninus

Icononzo, Tolima, Colombia

Megalomyrmex leoninus

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador

Megalomyrmex adamsae, a social parasite of Trachymyrmex fungus-growing ants.

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas

Megalomyrmex adamsae

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas

Megalomyrmex adamsae & Trachymyrmex. Ant nests present a rich concentration of resources for organisms that can get past the ants' defenses. Nests often contain parasites, and one of the more intriguing cases of parasitism in the new world tropics involves another ant species, the parasite Megalomyrmex adamsae (the smaller ant at center-left). These solenopsidine ants inhabit nests of fungus-growing attine ants and feed on the brood and gardens of their hosts.

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas

Colonies of the social parasite Megalomyrmex adamsae are small, consisting of only a handful of ants. They raise their brood in small chambers built within the fungus gardens of their host species. Here the queen is visible in the middle of the nest chamber.

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas

Uneasy relationship: a Trachymyrmex fungus-growing ant (left) encounters a Megalomyrmex adamsae that is a parasite of her nest.

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas

Canon EOS 20D |

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Original size: 2724x1804 |

Current: 800x530 |

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Megalomyrmex

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