Ants of Zihuatanejo

SUBFAMILY ECTATOMMINAE

• 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)

• Ectaheteromorph Ants (Subfamily Ectatomminae)

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Found primarily in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, members of this subfamily are generally medium- to large-sized ants characterized by robust bodies, strong mandibles, well-developed stings, and a predatory lifestyle. Colonies are usually modest in size compared with those of many highly social ants, often consisting of a few dozen to several hundred workers. Ectatommines typically nest in soil, under stones, within rotting wood, or among leaf litter and forage either individually or in small groups. Their diet consists mainly of insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates, although some species also consume nectar, fruit juices, and honeydew.