FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants More Ants in Australia Caste Systems, Colonies and Anthills Invasive Ants in Australia Camponotus Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Camponotus innexus (Antarctic Sugar Ant) Chelaner kiliani (Mono Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Dolichoderus scabridus Iridomyrmex purpureus Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Melophorus bagoti Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia forficata (Inchman Ant) Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia mandibularis Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Myrmecia tarsata (Australian Jumper Ant) Notoncus gilberti Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Opisthopsis rufithorax Polyrhachis Pseudoneoponera sublaevis Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)
Myrmecia forficata is a species of bull ant commonly known as the Inchman Ant, and is native to Australia. Observed in the south eastern part of Australia, from the Australian Alps (at elevations above 300m), down to sea level around Melbourne and in Tasmania.
Less aggressive than the Jack Jumper Ant, Myrmecia forficata is considered to be the most venomous of the bulldog ants. Myrmecia forficata are purplish-brown, with a black abdomen and range from 15 to 25 mm long.
These ants live in colonies, usually solitary when they forage and are carnivores and scavengers. They sting their victims with venom that is analogous to stings of wasps, bees, and fire ants. The toxin from the sting can induce anaphylaxis.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Superfamily: Verspoidea
- Family: Formicidae
- Subfamily: Myrmeciinae
- Tribe: Myrmeciini
- Genus: Myrmecia
- Species: Myrmecia forficata
Footnote & References
- Photographs Myrmecia forficata © Deb Taylor
- Photographs Myrmecia forficata © Tony Eales
- Myrmecia forficata (Fabricius, 1787), Inchman Bulldog Ant, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Myrmecia forficata
- Inchman Ant (Myrmecia forficate), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/479755-Myrmecia-forficata
FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants More Ants in Australia Caste Systems, Colonies and Anthills Invasive Ants in Australia Camponotus Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Camponotus innexus (Antarctic Sugar Ant) Chelaner kiliani (Mono Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Dolichoderus scabridus Iridomyrmex purpureus Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Melophorus bagoti Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia forficata (Inchman Ant) Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia mandibularis Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Myrmecia tarsata (Australian Jumper Ant) Notoncus gilberti Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Opisthopsis rufithorax Polyrhachis Pseudoneoponera sublaevis Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)
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