Dorylus molestus
Encyclopedia
Dorylus molestus is a species of African army ant.
Anomma molestus,
Dorylus (Anomma) molestus,
Dorylus (Anomma) nigricans molestus,
Dorylus molestus (Gerstaecker, 1859),
Dorylus nigricans molestus.
Males or drones of all dorylus species are so called "sausage flies" and are among the largest ant morphs.
However some Dorylus Molestus queen are the largest known extant ants.
The normal body size of the queen is ca 5,2 cm but some exceptions reach 8 cm.
The huge size of Molestus queens guarantees that it holds the world record in egg laying.
Workers (sterile females in the presence of the only living queen) are 0,3 /1,1 centimeter.
There are also huge and specialised soldier morphs (permanent sterile females), which provide protection during migration raids.
The species is important to its ecology; it supports myrmycophile fauna, especially several east African birds that attend its raids and depend for better survival on the ants' presence in their habitats. The predatory habits of this species contribute to a larger (mainly) arthropod biodiversity. They attack all animals that are
unable to run away and smaller animals that react too slowly, including other dorylus groups. They also invade nests of other social species, such as termites.
D molestus builds temporary surface bivouac
nests, which are regularly attacked by a smaller subterran army ant of the same genus, Dorylus (Typhlopone) fulvus badius.
A colony engages in foraging raids and also in straight migration raids.
Colonies that lose their sole queen sometimes fuse with other colonies
or produce (haploid) males before dying out.
It seems that the species is also capable of surviving in environments other than forests, but it is not yet known if they can survive easily without even a small forest nearby.
This ant species inspired early swarm intelligence
studies.
Taxonomy
Other (and older) names:Anomma molestus,
Dorylus (Anomma) molestus,
Dorylus (Anomma) nigricans molestus,
Dorylus molestus (Gerstaecker, 1859),
Dorylus nigricans molestus.
Males or drones of all dorylus species are so called "sausage flies" and are among the largest ant morphs.
However some Dorylus Molestus queen are the largest known extant ants.
The normal body size of the queen is ca 5,2 cm but some exceptions reach 8 cm.
The huge size of Molestus queens guarantees that it holds the world record in egg laying.
Workers (sterile females in the presence of the only living queen) are 0,3 /1,1 centimeter.
There are also huge and specialised soldier morphs (permanent sterile females), which provide protection during migration raids.
Ecology
D molestus is an East African surface swarm raider army ant.The species is important to its ecology; it supports myrmycophile fauna, especially several east African birds that attend its raids and depend for better survival on the ants' presence in their habitats. The predatory habits of this species contribute to a larger (mainly) arthropod biodiversity. They attack all animals that are
unable to run away and smaller animals that react too slowly, including other dorylus groups. They also invade nests of other social species, such as termites.
D molestus builds temporary surface bivouac
Bivouac
Bivouac may refer to:* Bivouac Peak, a mountain in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA* A military camp** Bivouac shelter** Bivouac sack, or "bivy sack" or bivy bag, an extremely lightweight alternative to traditional tent systems...
nests, which are regularly attacked by a smaller subterran army ant of the same genus, Dorylus (Typhlopone) fulvus badius.
A colony engages in foraging raids and also in straight migration raids.
Colonies that lose their sole queen sometimes fuse with other colonies
or produce (haploid) males before dying out.
It seems that the species is also capable of surviving in environments other than forests, but it is not yet known if they can survive easily without even a small forest nearby.
This ant species inspired early swarm intelligence
Swarm intelligence
Swarm intelligence is the collective behaviour of decentralized, self-organized systems, natural or artificial. The concept is employed in work on artificial intelligence...
studies.
External links
- http://www.antweb.org/description.do?subfamily=dorylinae&genus=dorylus&name=molestus&rank=species&project=worldants
- http://antbase.org/ants/africa/dorylus/dorylus_molestus/dorylus_molestus.htm