alexwild > Formicoxenus diversipilosus male.  This species in unusual in the extent to which males resemble the workers.

Sagehen Creek, California, USA
alexwild > Formicoxenus diversipilosus male.  This species in unusual in the extent to which males resemble the workers.

Sagehen Creek, California, USA
alexwild > Megalomyrmex symmetochus, queen and workers.

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas
alexwild > Uneasy relationship: a Trachymyrmex fungus-growing ant (left) encounters a Megalomyrmex symmetochus that is a parasite of her nest.

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas
alexwild > Megalomyrmex symmetochus & 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 symmetochus (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
alexwild > Pogonomyrmex anergismus (at left) is a workerless social parasite of other species of Pogonomyrmex harvester ants. The small queens live deep in the nests of their hosts, taking advantage of their resources to produce more parasite queens and males.  Once a year, in the fall, a crop of young parasites leave their natal nests to mate and locate a fresh host to colonize.

Sycamore Canyon, Arizona, USA
alexwild > Megalomyrmex symmetochus, queen and workers.

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas
alexwild > Megalomyrmex symmetochus, queen and workers.

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas
alexwild > Megalomyrmex symmetochus

Panama; captive colony at the University of Texas
Formicoxenus diversipilosus male. This species in unusual in the extent to which males resemble the workers.

Sagehen Creek, California, USA
alexwild > Formicoxenus diversipilosus male.  This species in unusual in the extent to which males resemble the workers.

Sagehen Creek, California, USA
Formicoxenus diversipilosus male. This species in unusual in the extent to which males resemble the workers.

Sagehen Creek, California, USA
See photo in original gallery.

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all images and text © Alex Wild 2010

insect pictures, insect images, insect photos, insect photography, ant images, bug pictures, bug photographs, insect identification, ant pictures