Acromyrmex
| Acromyrmex | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A. octospinosus worker carrying a leaf | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Genus: |
Acromyrmex Mayr 1865 |
| Type species | |
|
Formica hystrix Latreille, 1802 |
|
| Diversity | |
| 32 species | |
Acromyrmex is a genus of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae. This genus is found in South America and parts of Central America and the Caribbean Islands, and contains 31 known species. Commonly known as "leafcutter ants" they comprise one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini, along with Atta.
Acromyrmex species' hard outer covering, the exoskeleton or cuticle, functions as armour, protection against dangerous solar waves, an attachment base for internal muscles, and to prevent water loss. It is divided into three main parts; the head, thorax, and abdomen. A small segment between the thorax and abdomen, the petiole, is split into two nodes in Acromyrmex species.
The antennae are the most important sense organs Acromyrmex species possess, and are jointed so the ant can extend them forward to investigate an object. It 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 it is made up of many eyelets called ommatidia, with the number of these eyelets varies according to species. Male ants tend to have more ommatadia than other castes. The ocelli, which are generally found on top of the heads of queens, are thought to aid aerial navigation by sunlight.
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Wikipedia