Acromyrmex
Encyclopedia
Acromyrmex is a genus
of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae
. It contains 31 known species
.
and parts of Central America
and the Caribbean islands.
within the tribe Attini, along with Atta.
, or cuticle. It functions as armour
, protection against dangerous solar
waves, an attachment base for internal muscles, and also prevents water loss. It is divided into three main parts; the head
, thorax
, and abdomen
. There is also a small segment between the thorax and abdomen called the petiole
, which is split into two nodes in Acromyrmex species.
The antenna
are the most important sense organs that Acromyrmex species possess and are jointed so that the ant can extend them forward when it wishes to investigate an object. They can retract them back over its head when in a dangerous situation, for example, a fight. Acromyrmex species have eyes but their eyesight is very poor. Like all insects the eye is "compound", meaning that it is made up of many eyelets called ommatidia, the number of these eyelets varies according to species. In the worker castes male ants tend to have more ommatadia than other castes. The ocelli, which are generally found on top of the heads of queen Acromyrmex, are thought to aid aerial navigation by sunlight.
Acromyrmex are dark red in color. In addition to the standard ant anatomy
, the back of the thorax has a series of spines
which help them maneuver material such as leaf fragments on their backs.
Acromyrmex can be identified from the closely related Atta genus of leafcutter ants since they have 4 pairs of spines and a rough exoskeleton on the upper surface of the thorax.
Much of the inside of the Acromyrmex head is occupied with the muscles that close the jaws
; the muscles that open the jaws are a lot smaller. The brain
, though tiny, is a very complex organ and allows the Acromyrmex to learn
and react to its surroundings. It can remembers things such as colony odour, navigation, and where it has placed a certain object.
The heart
is a long tubular organ running the entire length of the body, from the brain to the tip of the abdomen. It has valves
within it that prevents blood
from flowing the wrong way. Fluids bathe the internal organs and is circulated by the heart; these fluids then filter through the organs and tissues
. The pharynx
, which is part of the gut, is controlled by six muscles and pumps food into the oesophagus. Debris in the food, such as dirt, is filtered before it enters the oesophagus and is collected in a tiny trap known as the infra-buccal pocket. When this pocket becomes full the Acromyrmex empties it into an area within or without the nest that is designated as a waste products area.
There are also several glands in the head that secrete various substances such as those responsible for the digestion
of food. Another gland within the head produces digestive and, in some species, an alarm chemical; this chemical is used to alert nearby ants of impending danger and any ant that detects this alarm will automatically go into "battle mode". If an ant is crushed a huge blast of this chemical is released causing the entire colony to go into "battle mode".
The thorax contains muscles that operate the legs and wings and also the nerve
cells that co-ordinate their movements; also contained in this part of the body is the heart and oesophagus.
The abdomen contains the stomachs
, poison glands, ovaries in the queen, and the Dufour’s gland among other things. Acromyrmex have two "stomachs"; a dry, social stomach in which they can store food and later regurgitate to larvae
, the queen and other ants. This is separated from the stomach proper by a small valve; once food enters the second stomach it becomes contaminated with gastric juices and cannot be regurgitated. It is not yet known the exact function of the Dufour's gland but is thought to be involved in the release of chemicals that are used in the production of odour trails which the ants use to recruit nest mates to a food source. It may also produce sexual attracting chemicals.
.
Once on the ground the female loses her wings and searches for a suitable underground lair in which to found her colony. The success rate of these young queens is very low and only 2.5% will go on to establish a long-lived colony.
Before leaving their parent colonies, winged females take a small section of fungus into their bucchal pouches
and it is with this that the subsequently wingless queens 'seed' the fungus gardens of incipient colonies, cutting and collecting the first few sections of leaf themselves.
, based mostly on size, that perform different functions. Acromyrmex exhibit a high degree of biological polymorphism
, four castes being present in established colonies - minims (or "garden ants"), minors, mediae and majors. Majors are also known as soldiers or dinergates. Each caste has a specific function within the colony. Acromyrmex ants are less polymorphic than the other genera of leafcutter ants Atta, meaning that there is comparatively less differential in size from the smallest to largest types of Acromymex. The high degree of polymorphism in this genus is also suggestive of its high degree of advancement.
and different species use different species of fungus, but all of the fungi the ants use are members of the genus Leucocoprinus
. The ants actively cultivate their fungus on a medium of masticated leaf tissue. This is the sole food of the queen
and other colony members that remain in the nest. The media workers also gain subsistence from plant sap they ingest whilst physically cutting out sections of leaf from a variety of plants.
This mutualistic relationship is further augmented by another symbiotic
partner; a bacterium that grows on the ants and secretes chemicals, - essentially the ants use portable antimicrobial
s. Leaf cutter ants are sensitive enough to adapt to the fungi's reaction to different plant material, apparently detecting chemical signals from the fungus. If a particular type of leaf is toxic to the fungus the colony will no longer collect it. The only two other groups of insects that have evolved fungus-based agriculture are ambrosia beetles and termites.The fungus that is cultivated by the adults is used to feed the ants larvae and the adult ants feed off the leaf sap. The fungus needs the ants to stay alive, and the larvae need the fungus to stay alive.
threatens the ants' food source, and is of course a constant danger to the ants. The waste-transporters and waste heap workers are the older, more dispensable leaf-cutter ants, ensuring that the healthier and younger leaf-cutter ants can work on the fungal garden. Waste-transporters take the waste, which consists of used substrate and discarded fungus, to the waste heap. Once dropped off at the refuse dump, heap-workers organise the waste and constantly shuffle it around to aid decomposition.
In addition to feeding the fungal garden with foraged food, mainly consisting of leaves, it is protected from Escovopsis by the antibiotic secretions of Actinobacteria
(genus Pseudonocardia
). This mutualistic microorganism lives in the metapleural glands of the ant. Actinobacteria are responsible for producing the majority of the worlds antibiotics today.
Acromyrmex has evolved to change foodplant constantly, preventing a colony from completely stripping off leaves and thereby killing trees, thus avoiding negative biological feedback on account of their sheer numbers. However, this does not diminish the huge quantities of foliage they harvest.
Once foraging workers locate a resource in their environment they will lay down a pheramone trail as they return to the colony. Other workers then follow the pheremone trail to the resource. The more workers return to the nest laying down pheremones the stronger the trail becomes. The strength to which workers adhere to the trail (trail fidelity) depends mostly on environmental factors such as the quality of the resource.
harvest huge quantities of foliage and the amount of foliage they strip means they have become agricultural pests on the various Caribbean islands they have been introduced on, such as Guadeloupe
.
In Central America, leafcutter ants are referred to as "Wee Wee" ants, though not based on their size. They are one of the largest ants in Central America.
Deterring the leafcutter ant Acromyrmex lobicornis
from defoliating crops has been found simpler than first expected. Collecting the refuse from the nest and placing it over seedlings or around crops resulted in a deterrent effect over a period of 30 days.
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...
of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae
Myrmicinae
Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants. There are about 140 genera within the group, with the family being cosmopolitan. The pupae lack cocoons. Some species retain a functional sting. The petioles of Myrmicinae consist of two nodes...
. It contains 31 known 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...
.
Distribution
This genera is found in South AmericaSouth 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 parts of 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...
and the Caribbean islands.
Overview
Commonly known as "leafcutter ants" they comprise one of the two genera of advanced attinesFungus-growing ants
The fungus-growing ants comprises all the known fungus-growing ant species in the world participating in ant-fungus mutualism. Leafcutter ants, including Atta and Acromyrmex, make up 2 of the genera.-See also:...
within the tribe Attini, along with Atta.
Anatomy
Acromyrmex species have a hard outer covering called the exoskeletonExoskeleton
An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton of, for example, a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers...
, or cuticle. It functions as armour
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
, protection against dangerous solar
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
waves, an attachment base for internal muscles, and also prevents water loss. It is divided into three main parts; the head
Head
In anatomy, the head of an animal is the rostral part that usually comprises the brain, eyes, ears, nose and mouth . Some very simple animals may not have a head, but many bilaterally symmetric forms do....
, thorax
Thorax
The thorax is a division of an animal's body that lies between the head and the abdomen.-In tetrapods:...
, and abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
. There is also a small segment between the thorax and abdomen called the petiole
Petiole (insect)
In entomology, the term petiole is most commonly used to refer to the constricted first metasomal segment of members of the Hymenopteran suborder Apocrita; it may be used to refer to other insects with similar body shapes, where the metasomal base is constricted...
, which is split into two nodes in Acromyrmex species.
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
are the most important sense organs that Acromyrmex species possess and are jointed so that the ant can extend them forward when it wishes to investigate an object. They can retract them back over its head when in a dangerous situation, for example, a fight. Acromyrmex species have eyes but their eyesight is very poor. Like all insects the eye is "compound", meaning that it is made up of many eyelets called ommatidia, the number of these eyelets varies according to species. In the worker castes male ants tend to have more ommatadia than other castes. The ocelli, which are generally found on top of the heads of queen Acromyrmex, are thought to aid aerial navigation by sunlight.
Acromyrmex are dark red in color. In addition to the standard ant anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, the back of the thorax has a series of spines
Spine (zoology)
A spine is a hard, thorny or needle-like structure which occurs on various animals. Animals such as porcupines and sea urchins grow spines as a self-defense mechanism. Spines are often formed of keratin...
which help them maneuver material such as leaf fragments on their backs.
Acromyrmex can be identified from the closely related Atta genus of leafcutter ants since they have 4 pairs of spines and a rough exoskeleton on the upper surface of the thorax.
Much of the inside of the Acromyrmex head is occupied with the muscles that close the jaws
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
; the muscles that open the jaws are a lot smaller. The brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
, though tiny, is a very complex organ and allows the Acromyrmex to learn
LEARN
LEARN may refer to:* Law Enforcement Agency Resource Network, a website run by the Anti-Defamation League* LEARN diet, a brand name diet product...
and react to its surroundings. It can remembers things such as colony odour, navigation, and where it has placed a certain object.
The heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
is a long tubular organ running the entire length of the body, from the brain to the tip of the abdomen. It has valves
Heart valve
A heart valve normally allows blood flow in only one direction through the heart. The four valves commonly represented in a mammalian heart determine the pathway of blood flow through the heart...
within it that prevents blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
from flowing the wrong way. Fluids bathe the internal organs and is circulated by the heart; these fluids then filter through the organs and tissues
Tissue (biology)
Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. A tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function. These are called tissues because of their identical functioning...
. The pharynx
Pharynx
The human pharynx is the part of the throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and anterior to the esophagus and larynx. The human pharynx is conventionally divided into three sections: the nasopharynx , the oropharynx , and the laryngopharynx...
, which is part of the gut, is controlled by six muscles and pumps food into the oesophagus. Debris in the food, such as dirt, is filtered before it enters the oesophagus and is collected in a tiny trap known as the infra-buccal pocket. When this pocket becomes full the Acromyrmex empties it into an area within or without the nest that is designated as a waste products area.
There are also several glands in the head that secrete various substances such as those responsible for the digestion
Digestion
Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....
of food. Another gland within the head produces digestive and, in some species, an alarm chemical; this chemical is used to alert nearby ants of impending danger and any ant that detects this alarm will automatically go into "battle mode". If an ant is crushed a huge blast of this chemical is released causing the entire colony to go into "battle mode".
The thorax contains muscles that operate the legs and wings and also the nerve
Nerve
A peripheral nerve, or simply nerve, is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of peripheral axons . A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons. Nerves are found only in the peripheral nervous system...
cells that co-ordinate their movements; also contained in this part of the body is the heart and oesophagus.
The abdomen contains the stomachs
Stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
, poison glands, ovaries in the queen, and the Dufour’s gland among other things. Acromyrmex have two "stomachs"; a dry, social stomach in which they can store food and later regurgitate to larvae
Larvae
In Roman mythology, lemures were shades or spirits of the restless or malignant dead, and are probably cognate with an extended sense of larvae as disturbing or frightening...
, the queen and other ants. This is separated from the stomach proper by a small valve; once food enters the second stomach it becomes contaminated with gastric juices and cannot be regurgitated. It is not yet known the exact function of the Dufour's gland but is thought to be involved in the release of chemicals that are used in the production of odour trails which the ants use to recruit nest mates to a food source. It may also produce sexual attracting chemicals.
Reproduction
Winged females and males leave their respective nests en masse and engage in a nuptial flight known as the revoada. Each female mates with multiple males to collect the 300 million sperm she needs to set up a colonyAnt colony
An ant colony is an underground lair where ants live, eat and mate. Colonies consist of a series of underground chambers, connected to each other and the surface of the earth by small tunnels. There are rooms for nurseries, food storage, and mating...
.
Once on the ground the female loses her wings and searches for a suitable underground lair in which to found her colony. The success rate of these young queens is very low and only 2.5% will go on to establish a long-lived colony.
Before leaving their parent colonies, winged females take a small section of fungus into their bucchal pouches
Cheek
Cheeks constitute the area of the face below the eyes and between the nose and the left or right ear. They may also be referred to as jowls. "Buccal" means relating to the cheek. In humans, the region is innervated by the buccal nerve...
and it is with this that the subsequently wingless queens 'seed' the fungus gardens of incipient colonies, cutting and collecting the first few sections of leaf themselves.
Colony hierarchy
A mature leafcutter colony can contain more than 8 million ants (the maximum size of the colony varies between species), mostly sterile female workers. They are divided into castesEusociality
Eusociality is a term used for the highest level of social organization in a hierarchical classification....
, based mostly on size, that perform different functions. Acromyrmex exhibit a high degree of biological polymorphism
Polymorphism (biology)
Polymorphism in biology occurs when two or more clearly different phenotypes exist in the same population of a species — in other words, the occurrence of more than one form or morph...
, four castes being present in established colonies - minims (or "garden ants"), minors, mediae and majors. Majors are also known as soldiers or dinergates. Each caste has a specific function within the colony. Acromyrmex ants are less polymorphic than the other genera of leafcutter ants Atta, meaning that there is comparatively less differential in size from the smallest to largest types of Acromymex. The high degree of polymorphism in this genus is also suggestive of its high degree of advancement.
Ant-Fungus mutualism
Like Atta, Acromyrmex societies are based on an ant-fungus mutualismAnt-fungus mutualism
Ant-fungus mutualism is a symbiosis seen in certain ant and fungal species, where ants actively cultivate fungus much like humans farm crops as a food source. In some species, the ants and fungi are dependent on each other for survival. The leafcutter ant is a well known example of this symbiosis...
and different species use different species of fungus, but all of the fungi the ants use are members of the genus Leucocoprinus
Leucocoprinus
Leucocoprinus is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae. Its best known member is the yellow pot-plant mushroom , found worldwide. The type species is Leucocoprinus cepistipes...
. The ants actively cultivate their fungus on a medium of masticated leaf tissue. This is the sole food of the queen
Eusociality
Eusociality is a term used for the highest level of social organization in a hierarchical classification....
and other colony members that remain in the nest. The media workers also gain subsistence from plant sap they ingest whilst physically cutting out sections of leaf from a variety of plants.
This mutualistic relationship is further augmented by another symbiotic
Symbiosis
Symbiosis is close and often long-term interaction between different biological species. In 1877 Bennett used the word symbiosis to describe the mutualistic relationship in lichens...
partner; a bacterium that grows on the ants and secretes chemicals, - essentially the ants use portable antimicrobial
Antimicrobial
An anti-microbial is a substance that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoans. Antimicrobial drugs either kill microbes or prevent the growth of microbes...
s. Leaf cutter ants are sensitive enough to adapt to the fungi's reaction to different plant material, apparently detecting chemical signals from the fungus. If a particular type of leaf is toxic to the fungus the colony will no longer collect it. The only two other groups of insects that have evolved fungus-based agriculture are ambrosia beetles and termites.The fungus that is cultivated by the adults is used to feed the ants larvae and the adult ants feed off the leaf sap. The fungus needs the ants to stay alive, and the larvae need the fungus to stay alive.
Waste management
Leaf-cutter ants have very specific roles when it comes to taking care of the fungal garden and dumping the refuse. Waste management is a key role for each colony's longevity. The necrotrophic parasite Escovopsis of the fungal cultivarCultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
threatens the ants' food source, and is of course a constant danger to the ants. The waste-transporters and waste heap workers are the older, more dispensable leaf-cutter ants, ensuring that the healthier and younger leaf-cutter ants can work on the fungal garden. Waste-transporters take the waste, which consists of used substrate and discarded fungus, to the waste heap. Once dropped off at the refuse dump, heap-workers organise the waste and constantly shuffle it around to aid decomposition.
In addition to feeding the fungal garden with foraged food, mainly consisting of leaves, it is protected from Escovopsis by the antibiotic secretions of Actinobacteria
Actinobacteria
Actinobacteria are a group of Gram-positive bacteria with high guanine and cytosine content. They can be terrestrial or aquatic. Actinobacteria is one of the dominant phyla of the bacteria....
(genus Pseudonocardia
Pseudonocardia
Pseudonocardia is the type genus of the bacteria family Pseudonocardiaceae. Members of this genus have been found living mutualistically in the metapleural glands of the leafcutter ants.-Species:...
). This mutualistic microorganism lives in the metapleural glands of the ant. Actinobacteria are responsible for producing the majority of the worlds antibiotics today.
Foraging behaviour
Once foraging workers locate a resource in their environment they will lay down a pheramone trail as they return to the colony. Other workers then follow the pheremone trail to the resource. The more workers return to the nest laying down pheremones the stronger the trail becomes. The strength to which workers adhere to the trail (trail fidelity) depends mostly on environmental factors such as the quality of the resource.
Interactions with humans
In some parts of their range, Acromyrmex can be quite a nuisance to humans, defoliating crops and damaging roads and farmland with their nest-making activities. For example Acromyrmex octospinosusAcromyrmex octospinosus
Acromyrmex octospinosus is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in Central America ranging from southern Mexico down to Panama; and across northern South America in Venezuela.-Overview:Commonly known as "leaf-cutter...
harvest huge quantities of foliage and the amount of foliage they strip means they have become agricultural pests on the various Caribbean islands they have been introduced on, such as Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
.
In Central America, leafcutter ants are referred to as "Wee Wee" ants, though not based on their size. They are one of the largest ants in Central America.
Deterring the leafcutter ant Acromyrmex lobicornis
Acromyrmex lobicornis
Acromyrmex lobicornis is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini.-Subspecies:...
from defoliating crops has been found simpler than first expected. Collecting the refuse from the nest and placing it over seedlings or around crops resulted in a deterrent effect over a period of 30 days.
Species
The genus Acromyrmex contains the following species :- Acromyrmex ameliaeAcromyrmex ameliaeAcromyrmex ameliae is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini...
De Souza, SoaresSoaresSoares is a common surname in the Portuguese language and Galician, namely in Portuguese speaking world, as well as other places. It was originally a Patronymic, meaning Son of Soeiro...
& Della Lucia, 2007 - Acromyrmex ambiguusAcromyrmex ambiguusAcromyrmex ambiguus is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.-Overview:...
EmeryCarlo EmeryCarlo Emery was an Italian entomologist.Born in Naples, Carlo Emery was professor of Zoology at the University of Bologna. He later worked in Geneva...
, 1888 - Acromyrmex aspersusAcromyrmex aspersusAcromyrmex aspersus is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in southern Brazil and Peru.-Overview:...
F. SmithFrederick Smith (entomologist)Frederick Smith was a British entomologist.Smith worked in the zoology department of the British Museum from 1849, specialising in the Hymenoptera. In 1875 he was promoted to Assistant Keeper of Zoology...
, 1858 - Acromyrmex balzaniAcromyrmex balzaniAcromyrmex balzani is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
EmeryCarlo EmeryCarlo Emery was an Italian entomologist.Born in Naples, Carlo Emery was professor of Zoology at the University of Bologna. He later worked in Geneva...
, 1890 - Acromyrmex biscutatusAcromyrmex biscutatusAcromyrmex biscutatus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini.-Overview:...
FabriciusJohan Christian FabriciusJohan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
, 1775 - Acromyrmex coronatusAcromyrmex coronatusAcromyrmex coronatus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini...
FabriciusJohan Christian FabriciusJohan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
, 1804 - Acromyrmex crassispinusAcromyrmex crassispinusAcromyrmex crassispinus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini...
Forel, 1909 - Acromyrmex diasiAcromyrmex diasiAcromyrmex diasi is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini...
GoncalvesGonçalves-People:* Adílio de Oliveira Gonçalves, Brazilian footballer* Ailton Gonçalves da Silva, Brazilian footballer* André Gonçalves, 15th/16th-century Portuguese explorer of Brasil* Antão Gonçalves, 15th century Portuguese explorer...
, 1983 - Acromyrmex discigerAcromyrmex discigerAcromyrmex disciger is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini...
MayrGustav MayrGustav L. Mayr was an Austrian entomologist and professor in Budapest and Vienna. He specialised in Hymenoptera.- Works :* Formicidae [der Novara-Expedition]. Vienna 1865....
, 1887 - Acromyrmex echinatiorAcromyrmex echinatiorAcromyrmex echinatior is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally from Mexico to Panama.-Overview:...
Forel, 1899 - Acromyrmex evenkulAcromyrmex evenkulAcromyrmex evenkul is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini.-Overview:...
BoltonBarry BoltonBarry Bolton is an English myrmecologist, the world's leading expert on the classification, systematics and taxonomy of ants, who long worked at The Natural History Museum...
, 1995 - Acromyrmex fracticornisAcromyrmex fracticornisAcromyrmex fracticornis is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini...
Forel, 1909 - Acromyrmex heyeriAcromyrmex heyeriAcromyrmex heyeri is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini.-Overview:...
Forel, 1899 - Acromyrmex hispidusAcromyrmex hispidusAcromyrmex hispidus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini...
SantschiFelix SantschiFelix Santschi was a Swiss entomologist.Santschi is known for his pioneering work on the navigational abilities of ants. In one experiment, he investigated the way harvester ants used the sky to navigate. He found that as long as even a small patch of sky was visible, the ants could return...
, 1925 - Acromyrmex hystrixAcromyrmex hystrixAcromyrmex hystrix is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini.-Distribution:...
Latreille, 1802 - Acromyrmex insinuatorAcromyrmex insinuatorAcromyrmex insinuator is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
Schultz, Bekkevold & Boomsma, 1998 - Acromyrmex landoltiAcromyrmex landoltiAcromyrmex landolti is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
Forel, 1885 - Acromyrmex laticepsAcromyrmex laticepsAcromyrmex laticeps is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
EmeryCarlo EmeryCarlo Emery was an Italian entomologist.Born in Naples, Carlo Emery was professor of Zoology at the University of Bologna. He later worked in Geneva...
, 1905 - Acromyrmex lobicornisAcromyrmex lobicornisAcromyrmex lobicornis is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini.-Subspecies:...
EmeryCarlo EmeryCarlo Emery was an Italian entomologist.Born in Naples, Carlo Emery was professor of Zoology at the University of Bologna. He later worked in Geneva...
, 1888 - Acromyrmex lundiiAcromyrmex lundiiAcromyrmex lundii is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina.-Overview:...
Guérin-MénevilleFélix Édouard Guérin-MénevilleFélix Édouard Guérin-Méneville was a French entomologist.Guérin-Méneville changed his surname from Guérin in 1836. He was the author of the illustrated work Iconographie du Règne Animal de G. Cuvier 1829–1844, a complement to the work of Georges Cuvier and Pierre André Latreille, which lacked...
, 1838 - Acromyrmex nigerAcromyrmex nigerAcromyrmex niger is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in southern Brazil and Paraguay.-Overview:...
F. SmithFrederick Smith (entomologist)Frederick Smith was a British entomologist.Smith worked in the zoology department of the British Museum from 1849, specialising in the Hymenoptera. In 1875 he was promoted to Assistant Keeper of Zoology...
, 1858 - Acromyrmex nigrosetosusAcromyrmex nigrosetosusAcromyrmex nigrosetosus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
Forel, 1908 - Acromyrmex nobilisAcromyrmex nobilisAcromyrmex nobilis is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
SantschiFelix SantschiFelix Santschi was a Swiss entomologist.Santschi is known for his pioneering work on the navigational abilities of ants. In one experiment, he investigated the way harvester ants used the sky to navigate. He found that as long as even a small patch of sky was visible, the ants could return...
, 1939 - Acromyrmex octospinosusAcromyrmex octospinosusAcromyrmex octospinosus is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in Central America ranging from southern Mexico down to Panama; and across northern South America in Venezuela.-Overview:Commonly known as "leaf-cutter...
Reich, 1793 - Acromyrmex pubescensAcromyrmex pubescensAcromyrmex pubescens is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. They are native to Paraguay.-Description:...
EmeryCarlo EmeryCarlo Emery was an Italian entomologist.Born in Naples, Carlo Emery was professor of Zoology at the University of Bologna. He later worked in Geneva...
, 1905 - Acromyrmex pulvereusAcromyrmex pulvereusAcromyrmex pulvereus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
SantschiFelix SantschiFelix Santschi was a Swiss entomologist.Santschi is known for his pioneering work on the navigational abilities of ants. In one experiment, he investigated the way harvester ants used the sky to navigate. He found that as long as even a small patch of sky was visible, the ants could return...
, 1919 - Acromyrmex rugosusAcromyrmex rugosusAcromyrmex rugosus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
F. SmithFrederick Smith (entomologist)Frederick Smith was a British entomologist.Smith worked in the zoology department of the British Museum from 1849, specialising in the Hymenoptera. In 1875 he was promoted to Assistant Keeper of Zoology...
, 1858 - Acromyrmex silvestriiAcromyrmex silvestriiAcromyrmex silvestrii is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
EmeryCarlo EmeryCarlo Emery was an Italian entomologist.Born in Naples, Carlo Emery was professor of Zoology at the University of Bologna. He later worked in Geneva...
, 1905 - Acromyrmex striatusAcromyrmex striatusAcromyrmex striatus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
RogerJulius RogerJulius Roger was a German medical doctor, entomologist and folklorist who worked in Ratibor, in Upper Silesia, most notable for having arranged to build hospitals in Groß Rauden, Pilchowitz, plus the current public hospital in Rybnik .He is also notable for collaborating with entomologist Ernst...
, 1863 - Acromyrmex subterraneusAcromyrmex subterraneusAcromyrmex subterraneus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini.-Subspecies:...
Forel, 1893 - Acromyrmex versicolorAcromyrmex versicolorAcromyrmex versicolor is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
Pergande, 1894 - Acromyrmex volcanusAcromyrmex volcanusAcromyrmex volcanus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini....
WheelerWilliam Morton WheelerWilliam Morton Wheeler, Ph.D. was an American entomologist, myrmecologist and Harvard professor.-Early life:...
, 1937