Protomognathus americanus
Encyclopedia
Protomognathus americanus is a species of ant
that is 2-3 mm in size. It is endemic to the northeastern United States
and adjacent Canadian regions. P. americanus is a species of slave maker ant. They do not forage for food, but instead 'scout workers' from the colony seek out nearby host colonies of ants, steal larvae and bring them back to their own colony. A small P. americanus colony could consist of a queen, two to five workers and thirty to sixty slaves.
In a study published in Animal Behaviour
, researchers showed that P. americanus scouts target stronger colonies over weaker ones to steal larvae from.
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
that is 2-3 mm in size. It is endemic to the northeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and adjacent Canadian regions. P. americanus is a species of slave maker ant. They do not forage for food, but instead 'scout workers' from the colony seek out nearby host colonies of ants, steal larvae and bring them back to their own colony. A small P. americanus colony could consist of a queen, two to five workers and thirty to sixty slaves.
In a study published in Animal Behaviour
Animal behaviour
Animal behaviour is the subject of:* The field of Ethology* Animal Behaviour, a scientific journal...
, researchers showed that P. americanus scouts target stronger colonies over weaker ones to steal larvae from.