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Plectroctena mandibularis

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Plectroctena mandibularis
Plectroctena mandibularis worker
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Genus: Plectroctena
Species:
P. mandibularis
Binomial name
Plectroctena mandibularis
F.Smith, 1858
Synonyms
  • Plectroctena major

Plectroctena mandibularis is a large species of ant that ranges from the Eastern Cape, South Africa, through East Africa to Ethiopia. Their workers forage singly[1] in open terrain, and their colony size seldom exceeds 50 individuals.[1][2] It is one of the large Plectroctena species, including P. conjugata and P. minor, that specialize on adult millipedes as prey.[2] The nest is composed of chambers that are typically located 2 feet or more below the surface, and the nest entrances are usually marked by large piles of earth.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Arnold, G. (1915). "A monograph of the Formicidae in South Africa. Part I.". Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 1–159.
  2. ^ a b c Bolton, B.; Gotwald, W. H.; Leroux, J-M (1976). "A new West African ant of the genus Plectroctena with ecological notes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" (PDF). Annales de l'Université d'Abidjan, Série E (Écologie). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
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