近缘巨首蚁Pheidologeton affinis


栖生地:土中营巢,喜欢阴凉潮湿的生境,巢穴入土较深,结构复杂,由多条纵横交错互相贯通的通道和巢室组成,似蜂窝状。夏季常在主巢附近筑有副巢,但副巢入土较浅,里面有少量工蚁、兵蚁和卵临时栖息
种属描述:本属蚂蚁主要分布于非洲和东南亚,有一种分布于澳大利亚北部。全世界共记述近50种(亚种、变种)巨首蚁。由于该种蚂蚁变异较大,种类的实际数目可能远远小于此数,根据Bolton的统计认为全球目前有27种(1995)。周善义等于1997年发布广西巨首蚁属三新种。本属蚂蚁触角11节,边节棒2节。本属蚂蚁兵蚁的头不成比例的巨大,工蚁正常,大型兵蚁和小型工蚁之间存在多种过渡类型,因此本属蚂蚁易于辨认。本属蚂蚁营捕食性生活,取食活的或死的节肢动物,也取食粮食。营地下巢,每巢数量众多,工蚁数量远远多于兵蚁。大型兵蚁的存在可能是针对体型相对教大的捕食性脊椎动物的。最近外国分类网站合并到盲切叶蚁属(Carebara)
Pheidologeton affinis. supermajor and minor workers attacking a beetle grub. Supermajors have powerful mandibles useful for cutting up and carrying large prey items. The supermajor pictured here was able to single-handedly drag this very large beetle larva across the substrate while I photographed them. Rossville. Queensland. Australia
Pheidologeton affinis. supermajor and minor workers. Pheidologeton has one of the most pronounced size differences among nestmate workers of any ant. Rossville. Queensland. Australia
蚁后:体长20-22mm
工蚁:体长3-4mm
兵蚁:体长5-13mm
雄蚁:体长mm