A soldier Eciton burchellii army ant. The ice-tong shaped mandibles defend the colony against vertebrate predators. Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
A Labidus praedator soldier rears up at the photographer. Gamboa, Panama
A soldier of Nomamyrmex esenbeckii, the most heavily armored of the army ants. As these ants are predators of the giant Atta leafcutting ants, they require stout, sturdy appendages to withstand the slicing mandibles of their prey. Gamboa, Panama
