The brightly colored head of Odontomachus erythrocephalus makes this species among the most recognizable trap-jaw ants.

Icononzo, Tolima, Colombia
Odontomachus erythrocephalus

Icononzo, Tolima, Colombia
Anochetus paripungens. Although the trap-jaw ant's mandibles are designed for predation, they must also serve domestic duty. Here, a worker ant transports a pupa.

Northern Territory, Australia
Anochetus mayri is a small species broadly distributed in the Caribbean and Central and South America.  This individual is from a population that has recently colonized suburban Florida, becoming one of many non-native ant species in the state.

West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Anochetus mayri is a small species broadly distributed in the Caribbean and Central and South America.  This individual is from a population that has recently colonized suburban Florida, becoming one of many non-native ant species in the state.

West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Odontomachus clarus, the desert trap-jaw ant.

Portal, Arizona, USA
Odontomachus cephalotes

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Odontomachus coquereli

Madagascar
Odontomachus coquereli

Madagascar
Anochetus mayri is a small species broadly distributed in the Caribbean and Central and South America. This individual is from a population that has recently colonized suburban Florida, becoming one of many non-native ant species in the state.

West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Anochetus mayri is a small species broadly distributed in the Caribbean and Central and South America.  This individual is from a population that has recently colonized suburban Florida, becoming one of many non-native ant species in the state.

West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Anochetus mayri is a small species broadly distributed in the Caribbean and Central and South America. This individual is from a population that has recently colonized suburban Florida, becoming one of many non-native ant species in the state.

West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013