Formicidae Checklist: Ants
Ants are eusocial insects belonging to the family Formicidae, and have been recorded on every continent on earth except Antarctica. Ants thrive so well in most environments that they may form up to 25% of terrestrial animal biomass[1].
Ants have distinctively elbowed antennae, and have slender waists formed by nodular structures. They form colonies ranging in size from dozens to millions of individuals. Each colony would typically consist of at least one fertile queen, mostly workers, soldiers, and various other castes.
Most identifications here were made with reference to keys and photographs on AntWiki, as well as help from kind folks from the Myrmecologists Facebook group.
All photos are of live subjects shot in the field. Click on individual photos for larger views and views from other angles. As specimens were not collected, identifications were done based purely on photographs and may not be 100% accurate.
This page will be updated regularly, please let me know if you spot any mistakes.
View my complete Flickr photo set: Formicidae – Ants.
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Class: Insecta Linnaeus, 1758
Order: Hymenoptera Linnaeus, 1758
Family: Formicidae Latreille, 1809
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae Forel, 1878
Tribe: Dolichoderini Forel, 1878
Genus: Dolichoderus Lund, 1831
East Malaysia: Dolichoderus sp.
Singapore: Dolichoderus thoracicus (Smith, F., 1860) workers
West Malaysia: Dolichoderus sp.
Tribe: Tapinomini Emery, 1913
Genus: Technomyrmex Mayr, 1872
Singapore: cf. Technomyrmex sp.
Tribe: Unknown
Singapore: Dolichoderinae ♂
Subfamily: Dorylinae Leach, 1815
Genus: Labidus Jurine, 1807
Peru: cf. Labidus praedator (Smith, F., 1858)
Subfamily: Ectatomminae Emery, 1895
Tribe: Ectatommini Emery, 1895
Genus: Gnamptogenys Roger, 1863
East Malaysia: Gnamptogenys cf. menadensis (Mayr, 1887)
East Malaysia: Gnamptogenys cf. menadensis (Mayr, 1887)
West Malaysia: Gnamptogenys cf. menadensis (Mayr, 1887)
Subfamily: Formicinae Latreille, 1809
Tribe: Camponotini Forel, 1878
Genus: Calomyrmex Emery, 1895
East Malaysia: Calomyrmex sp.
East Malaysia: Calomyrmex sp.
Genus: Camponotus Mayr, 1861
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
West Malaysia: Camponotus sp.
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
Singapore: cf. Camponotus sp.
Singapore: cf. Camponotus sp.
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
Singapore: Camponotus sp.
Genus: Colobopsis Mayr, 1861
East Malaysia: Colobopsis saundersi (Emery, 1889) complex
East Malaysia: Colobopsis saundersi (Emery, 1889) complex
West Malaysia: cf. Colobopsis sp.
Genus: Dinomyrmex Ashmead, 1905
Singapore: Dinomyrmex gigas (Latreille, 1802)
Singapore: Dinomyrmex gigas (Latreille, 1802)
Singapore: Dinomyrmex gigas (Latreille, 1802)
Singapore: Dinomyrmex gigas (Latreille, 1802)
Genus: Echinopla Smith, F., 1857
Singapore: Echinopla striata Smith, F., 1857
Singapore: Echinopla striata Smith, F., 1857
West Malaysia: cf. Echinopla striata Smith, F., 1857
West Malaysia: cf. Echinopla striata Smith, F., 1857
West Malaysia: Echinopla densistriata Stitz, 1938
West Malaysia: Echinopla densistriata Stitz, 1938
West Malaysia: Echinopla densistriata Stitz, 1938
East Malaysia: Echinopla cf. melanarctos Smith, F., 1857
East Malaysia: Echinopla cf. melanarctos Smith, F., 1857
East Malaysia: Echinopla cf. melanarctos Smith, F., 1857
West Malaysia: Echinopla sp.
West Malaysia: Echinopla sp.
Genus: Polyrhachis Smith, F., 1857
West Malaysia: cf. Polyrhachis boltoni Dorow & Kohout, 1995
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis bellicosa Smith, F., 1859
Cambodia: Polyrhachis bihamata (Drury, 1773)
Thailand: Polyrhachis bihamata (Drury, 1773)
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis ypsilon Emery, 1887
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis ypsilon Emery, 1887
Singapore: Polyrhachis cf. armata (Le Guillou, 1842)
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis armata (Le Guillou, 1842)
West Malaysia: Polyrhachis cf. thrinax Roger, 1863
West Malaysia: Polyrhachis cf. thrinax Roger, 1863
West Malaysia: Polyrhachis rufipes Smith, F., 1858
West Malaysia: Polyrhachis rufipes Smith, F., 1858
Thailand: Polyrhachis sp.
Singapore: Polyrhachis sp.
Singapore: Polyrhachis sp.
West Malaysia: Polyrhachis sp.
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis sp.
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis sp.
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis sp.
Singapore: Polyrhachis sp.
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis sp.
East Malaysia: Polyrhachis sp.
Tribe: Oecophyllini Emery, 1895
Genus: Oecophylla Smith, F., 1860
Singapore: Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius, 1775)
Singapore: Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius, 1775)
Singapore: Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius, 1775)
Tribe: Plagiolepidini Fore., 1886
Genus: Anoplolepis Santschi, 1914
Singapore: Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, F., 1857)
Singapore: Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, F., 1857)
Subfamily: Myrmicinae Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835
Tribe: Attini Smith, 1858
Genus: Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865
Belize: Acromyrmex sp.
Belize: Acromyrmex sp.
Genus: Aphaenogaster Mayr, 1853
Singapore: cf. Aphaenogaster feae Emery, 1889
Genus: Atta Fabricius, 1804
Belize: Atta sp.
Belize: Atta sp.
Genus: Cephalotes Latreille, 1802
Belize: Cephalotes cristatus (Emery, 1890)
Belize: Cephalotes cristatus (Emery, 1890)
Genus: Pheidole Westwood, 1839
Singapore: cf. Pheidole sp. 0770
Genus: Strumigenys Smith, F., 1860
Singapore: Strumigenys cf. godeffroyi Mayr, 1866
Singapore: Strumigenys cf. godeffroyi Mayr, 1866
Tribe: Crematogastrini Forel, 1893
Genus: Cataulacus Smith, F., 1853
East Malaysia: Cataulacus horridus Smith, F., 1857
Singapore: Cataulacus cf. granulatus (Latreille, 1802)
West Malaysia: Cataulacus cf. latissimus Emery, 1893
West Malaysia: Cataulacus cf. latissimus Emery, 1893
Genus: Carebara Westwood, 1840
Singapore: Carebara sp.
Singapore: Carebara sp.
Singapore: cf. Carebara sp.
Singapore: cf. Carebara sp.
Singapore: Carebara sp.
Genus: Crematogaster Lund, 1831
East Malaysia: Crematogaster sp.
East Malaysia: Crematogaster sp.
West Malaysia: Crematogaster inflata Smith, F. 1857
East Malaysia: Crematogaster inflata Smith, F. 1857
Singapore: Crematogaster sp.
West Malaysia: Crematogaster sp.
West Malaysia: Crematogaster cf. sewardi Forel, 1901
Western Australia: Crematogaster sp.
Genus: Meranoplus Smith, F., 1853
West Malaysia: Meranoplus mucronatus Smith, F., 1857
West Malaysia: Meranoplus mucronatus Smith, F., 1857
Singapore: Meranoplus cf. bicolor (Guérin-Méneville, 1844)
Singapore: Meranoplus cf. bicolor (Guérin-Méneville, 1844)
Genus: Pristomyrmex Mayr, 1866
Singapore: Pristomyrmex sp.
West Malaysia: Pristomyrmex sp.
Genus: Tetramorium Mayr, 1855
Singapore: Tetramorium bicarinatum (Nylander, 1846)
East Malaysia: Tetramorium sp.
West Malaysia: Tetramorium sp.
Tribe: Solenopsidini Forel, 1893
Genus: Myrmicaria Saunders, W.W., 1842
Singapore: Myrmicaria sp.
Singapore: cf. Myrmicaria sp.
Tribe: Unknown
Singapore: Myrmicinae ♂
Subfamily: Ponerinae Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835
Tribe: Platythyreini Emery, 1901
Genus: Platythyrea Roger, 1863
Singapore: cf. Platythyrea parallela (Smith, F., 1859)
Tribe: Ponerini Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835
Genus: Anochetus Mayr, 1861
East Malaysia: Anochetus sp.
Genus: Diacamma Mayr, 1862
Singapore: Diacamma sp.
Singapore: Diacamma sp.
Singapore: Diacamma sp. ♂
Singapore: Diacamma sp. ♂
Singapore: Diacamma sp.
Singapore: Diacamma sp.
Singapore: Diacamma sp.
Singapore: Diacamma sp.
Singapore: Diacamma sp.
Genus: Myopias Roger, 1861
Singapore: Myopias sp.
Singapore: Myopias sp.
Genus: Odontomachus Latreille, 1804
Singapore: Odontomachus sp.
Singapore: Odontomachus sp.
Singapore: Odontomachus sp.
Singapore: Odontomachus sp.
Genus: Odontoponera Mayr, 1862
Singapore: Odontoponera transversa (Smith, F., 1857)
Singapore: Odontoponera denticulata (Smith, F., 1858) ♂
Genus: Paltothyreus Mayr, 1862
Mozambique: Paltothyreus cf. tarsatus (Fabricius, 1798)
Genus: Unknown
Singapore: Ponerini
Singapore: Ponerini
Trophobiosis
Trophobiosis is common with ants where they exhibit a symbiotic relationship with other invertebrates such as sugar-excreting insects. The insects supply food in the form of their sugary excrement, while the ants offer protection from predators.
Singapore: Meranoplus sp. with Membracidae nymph
Peru: Camponotus sp. with Hypaepa costata
West Malaysia: Anoplolepis gracilipes with planthopper
East Malaysia: cf. Camponotus sp. with Cicadellidae
Belize: Dolichoderus cf. bispinosus (Olivier, 1792) with Adippe inaequalis
Cordyceps Fungus
Ophiocordyceps is an insect-pathogenic fungus, also known as cordyceps fungus, that infects ants and controls their brains. Infected ants would climb to the tallest point, often the tip of tall grass or leaves, and die there. This aids the fungus in dispersal and self-propagation when the fungus grows its fruiting body out to disperse spores.
Singapore: Polyrhachis sp.
East Malaysia: Formicidae
Group Predation
Singapore: Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius, 1775)
Singapore: Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius, 1775)
Singapore: Dinomyrmex gigas (Latreille, 1802)
Singapore:
Ant Predators
Many invertebrates are specialist ant predators. Here are some examples.
Singapore: Zodariidae
Singapore: cf. Inara flavopicta
Singapore: Amyciaea sp.
Singapore: Alcimochthes sp.
Singapore: Episinus sp.
Ant Mimicry
Several invertebrates mimic ants. Batesian mimicry is the form where mimicking an ant reduces the risk of predation, as ants are typically unpalatable and aggressive to potential predators.
Singapore: Myrmarachne mimicking Oecophylla smaragdina
Singapore: Myrmarachne mimicking Polyrhachis
Singapore: Alydidae
Singapore: Anthicidae
Singapore: Homodes sp.
Mozambique: Eurycorypha sp.
