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Leafcutter ants are any of at least 55 species [1] [2] [3] of leaf-chewing ants belonging to the three genera Atta, Acromyrmex, and Amoimyrmex, within the tribe Attini. [4] These species of tropical, fungus-growing ants are all endemic to South and Central America, Mexico, and parts of the southern United States. [5]
This is a list of leafcutter ants, comprising 42 species from two genera: Atta and Acromyrmex. Species Image Common name Distribution Atta bisphaerica: Atta capiguara:
Leafcutter ants can create bottom-up gaps by forming their large nests. The ants excavate soil rich in organic matter, and store additional organic matter in their underground chambers. This creates rich soils that promote plant growth. The ants can also trim the leaves of plants in the understory, allowing for more light to hit the forest ...
Atta cephalotes is a species of leafcutter ant in the tribe Attini (the fungus-growing ants). A single colony of ants can contain up to 5 million members, and each colony has one queen that can live more than 20 years. The colony comprises different castes, known as "task partitioning", and each caste has a different job to do. [2]
The presence of leaf-cutter ants is so common in the Neotropics, that they are considered to be the main herbivores of these areas., [2] [4] A. striatus is a polymorphic species, meaning that there are several different sizes of workers, with the largest being 6.5 mm long. [3]
New research shows that ants have been farming fungi for 66 million years — thanks in part to the asteroid that fueled the demise of the dinosaurs.
Atta mexicana is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Atta. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines (fungus-growing ants) within the tribe Attini .
The queen ant will deposit eggs that then hatch into cream-colored larvae. Fully developed 1 ⁄ 4-to-1 ⁄ 2-inch-long (0.64 to 1.27 cm) larvae form pupae.In the spring, some larvae develop into larger (3 ⁄ 4 inch or 1.9 centimetres) winged male and female ants, called reproductives.