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Ants of Zihuatanejo

FAMILY FORMICIDAE

Graceful Twig Ants
Pseudomyrmex gracilis

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)

-Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees (Suborder Apocrita)

-Ants, Bees, and Stinging Wasps (Infraorder Aculeata)

-Superfamily Formicoidea

-Ants (Family Formicidae)

-Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae

-Twig Ants (Genus Pseudomyrmex)

-Gracilis-group Twig Ants (Complex Pseudomyrmex gracilis)

-Graceful Twig Ant (Pseudomyrmex gracilis)


Pseudomyrmex twig ants are a group of slender, arboreal ants within the genus Pseudomyrmex, known for nesting in hollow twigs, stems, and thorns in trees and shrubs. They are characterized by their long, slender bodies, narrow waists, and elongated legs. Their body structure is more streamlined and wasp-like than most other ant species. Pseudomyrmex twig ants are omnivores, foraging for both plant-based food like nectar, honeydew, and insect prey. They are active during the day and are fast and agile hunters, often feeding on small arthropods.



Diet

  • Omnivorous, feeding on small insects, caterpillars, flies, termites, nectar, extrafloral nectar, honeydew, pollen, and dead arthropods.

  • An active predator that hunts alone on vegetation, capturing soft-bodied insects with its long mandibles.

  • Also scavenges and feeds on sugary plant secretions.

Range

  • Native to the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and much of northern South America.

  • Widespread throughout Mexico, including the Pacific coast of Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo region.

  • Has also become established in parts of Florida and other subtropical regions.

Habitat

  • Inhabits tropical dry forests, tropical rainforests, thorn scrub, mangroves, woodland edges, secondary forests, plantations, gardens, and urban parks.

  • Nests in hollow twigs, dead branches, plant stems, tree cavities, fence posts, and other narrow cavities.

  • Most often encountered foraging on shrubs and trees during daylight hours.

Size

  • Worker length: 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in)

  • Queen length: 10–14 mm (0.39–0.55 in)

  • Colonies typically contain a few hundred to about 2,000 workers.

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