Ecitoninae
Encyclopedia
Most New World
army ant
s belong to the subfamily Ecitoninae. This subfamily is further broken into two groups in the New World, the tribes
Cheliomyrmecini and Ecitonini
. The former contains only the genus
Cheliomyrmex, and the tribe Ecitonini contains four genera, Neivamyrmex, Nomamyrmex, Labidus, and Eciton
, the genus after which the group is named. The genus Neivamyrmex is the largest of all army ant genera, containing some 120 species
, all in the United States
. The most predominant species of Eciton is E. burchellii
, whose common name is "army ant" and which is considered to be the archetypal species.
The Old World
army ants are divided between the two tribes Aenictini and Dorylini
(often treated as Dorylini alone), each of which is made up of a single genus; in the former case, Aenictus
, that contains over 100 species of army ant, while the Dorylini contains the aggressive "driver ants" in the genus Dorylus
, of which there are some 70 species known.
Army ant taxonomy
remains ever-changing, and genetic
analysis will continue to provide more information about the relatedness of the various species; many genera contain large numbers of taxa at the rank of subspecies
(e.g., Dorylus, in which some 60 of roughly 130 named taxa are only considered subspecies at present).
There are about 150 species of army ants in the New World
(that is, North
, South
, and Central America
), all in the tribe Ecitonini
. Although these army ant species are found from Kansas to Argentina, few people in North America realize that there are plenty of army ants living in the United States, in part because the colonies are rarely very abundant, and because the United States species (mostly genus Neivamyrmex) are quite small (~5 mm), with small and generally unobtrusive raiding columns, most often active at night, and easily overlooked.
E. burchellii
and E. hamatum
are the most visible and best studied of the New World army ants because they forage above ground and during the day, in enormous raiding swarms. Their range stretches from southern Mexico to the northern part of South America.
, all in the tribe Dorylini
(in some older classifications, also the tribe Aenictini), approximately equal numbers in the genera Aenictus
and Dorylus
. The latter group is by far the better-known, including the infamous "driver ants" (or "safari ants").
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
army ant
Army ant
The name army ant is applied to over 200 ant species, in different lineages, due to their aggressive predatory foraging groups, known as "raids", in which huge numbers of ants forage simultaneously over a certain area, attacking prey en masse.Another shared feature is that, unlike most ant...
s belong to the subfamily Ecitoninae. This subfamily is further broken into two groups in the New World, the tribes
Tribe (biology)
In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
Cheliomyrmecini and Ecitonini
Ecitonini
The New World army ant tribe Ecitonini contains most of the familiar species of army ants. The genus Neivamyrmex is the largest of all army ant genera, containing some 120 species, most in the Neotropics but some with ranges in the United States....
. The former contains only the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Cheliomyrmex, and the tribe Ecitonini contains four genera, Neivamyrmex, Nomamyrmex, Labidus, and Eciton
Eciton
The New World army ant genus Eciton contains the most familiar species of army ants. The most predominant and well-known species is Eciton burchellii, whose common name is "army ant" and which is considered to be the archetypal species....
, the genus after which the group is named. The genus Neivamyrmex is the largest of all army ant genera, containing some 120 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, all in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The most predominant species of Eciton is E. burchellii
Eciton burchellii
Eciton burchellii is the predominant species of the genus Eciton and a type of New World army ant. Distinct in its expansive, highly organized swarm raids, it is often considered the archetypal species of "army ant" — so much that the term has become its common name — and remains one of...
, whose common name is "army ant" and which is considered to be the archetypal species.
The Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
army ants are divided between the two tribes Aenictini and Dorylini
Dorylini
Most Old World army ants belong to the tribe Dorylini. This tribe was formerly classified as the subfamily Dorylinae, and is composed of two genera, one of which was formerly placed in its own tribe, Aenictini. The other genus, Dorylus, contains the aggressive "driver ants", of which there are...
(often treated as Dorylini alone), each of which is made up of a single genus; in the former case, Aenictus
Aenictus
The army ant genus Aenictus is an enigmatic group known from Africa, tropical Asia, and Queensland. There are some 100 species presently recognized, though many other names are applied at the rank of subspecies...
, that contains over 100 species of army ant, while the Dorylini contains the aggressive "driver ants" in the genus Dorylus
Dorylus
The army ant genus Dorylus, also known as driver ants, safari ants, or siafu, is found primarily in central and east Africa, although the range also extends to tropical Asia. The term siafu is a loanword from Swahili, and is one of numerous similar words from regional Bantu languages used by...
, of which there are some 70 species known.
Army ant taxonomy
Alpha taxonomy
Alpha taxonomy is the discipline concerned with finding, describing and naming species of living or fossil organisms. This field is supported by institutions holding collections of these organisms, with relevant data, carefully curated: such institutes include natural history museums, herbaria and...
remains ever-changing, and genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
analysis will continue to provide more information about the relatedness of the various species; many genera contain large numbers of taxa at the rank of subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
(e.g., Dorylus, in which some 60 of roughly 130 named taxa are only considered subspecies at present).
New World Army Ants
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
(that is, North
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, South
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
), all in the tribe Ecitonini
Ecitonini
The New World army ant tribe Ecitonini contains most of the familiar species of army ants. The genus Neivamyrmex is the largest of all army ant genera, containing some 120 species, most in the Neotropics but some with ranges in the United States....
. Although these army ant species are found from Kansas to Argentina, few people in North America realize that there are plenty of army ants living in the United States, in part because the colonies are rarely very abundant, and because the United States species (mostly genus Neivamyrmex) are quite small (~5 mm), with small and generally unobtrusive raiding columns, most often active at night, and easily overlooked.
E. burchellii
Eciton burchellii
Eciton burchellii is the predominant species of the genus Eciton and a type of New World army ant. Distinct in its expansive, highly organized swarm raids, it is often considered the archetypal species of "army ant" — so much that the term has become its common name — and remains one of...
and E. hamatum
Eciton hamatum
Eciton hamatum is a species of army ant in the subfamily Ecitoninae, present from Mexico to central Brazil and Bolivia. This species differs from many others in that it does not fan out into the underbrush when foraging. Rather, it forages in columns, often in trees and preying exclusively on the...
are the most visible and best studied of the New World army ants because they forage above ground and during the day, in enormous raiding swarms. Their range stretches from southern Mexico to the northern part of South America.
Old World Army Ants
There are over 100 species of army ants in the Old WorldOld World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
, all in the tribe Dorylini
Dorylini
Most Old World army ants belong to the tribe Dorylini. This tribe was formerly classified as the subfamily Dorylinae, and is composed of two genera, one of which was formerly placed in its own tribe, Aenictini. The other genus, Dorylus, contains the aggressive "driver ants", of which there are...
(in some older classifications, also the tribe Aenictini), approximately equal numbers in the genera Aenictus
Aenictus
The army ant genus Aenictus is an enigmatic group known from Africa, tropical Asia, and Queensland. There are some 100 species presently recognized, though many other names are applied at the rank of subspecies...
and Dorylus
Dorylus
The army ant genus Dorylus, also known as driver ants, safari ants, or siafu, is found primarily in central and east Africa, although the range also extends to tropical Asia. The term siafu is a loanword from Swahili, and is one of numerous similar words from regional Bantu languages used by...
. The latter group is by far the better-known, including the infamous "driver ants" (or "safari ants").
External links
- Current Debate in Army Ant Taxonomy
- Tree of Life - Ecitoninae pages, New World Army Ant phylogeny