Ant Dictionary
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A dictionary of ant-related terms, in alphabetical order.
A
- acrobat ant – a type of ant, belonging to the genus Crematogaster, which can raise its heart-shaped gaster up and over its own body.
- alate – a winged reproductive adult ant.
- arboreal ant – any type of ant that nests in trees.
- army ant – a type of ant which engages in predatory group foraging (raids).
B
- big-headed ant – a type of ant, belonging to the genus Pheidole, whose soldier caste has disproportionately large heads.
- bivouac – a temporary nest constructed out of living army ants.
- brachypterous – describes an ant with short, nonfunctional wings.
- brood – young, developing ants in the form of eggs, larvae, and pupae.
- bull ant – a type of ant, belonging to the genus Myrmecia, characterized by its large size, excellent vision, aggressive behavior, and painful sting.
C
- callow – a newly-eclosed ant whose exoskeleton has not yet fully hardened and is lighter in color.
- carpenter ant – a type of ant, belonging to the genus Camponotus, which often builds nests inside wood.
- cocoon – a pupal casing spun from silk by the larvae of some ant species.
- compound eye – a multifaceted eye made up of ommatidia, present in most ants.
- crop – the pouch in an ants gaster, also known as a social stomach, which stores food prior to digestion. Food stored in the crop can be shared with other ants through trophallaxis.
D
- dealate – a reproductive adult ant that has shed its wings.
- dichthadiigyne – an ergatoid queen with a very large gaster well-developed ovaries, found in some army ants.
- dimorphic – describes an ant species in which there are two distinct variations, in body size or shape, within the worker caste.
- dinergate – an ant caste, in polymorphic ants, consisting of infertile females that are distinct from ergates and usually specialize in colony defense. Also known as a soldier.
- diurnal – primarily active during the day.
- drone – a reproductive adult male ant.
E
- eclose – the act of emerging as an adult ant from the pupa.
- epigeic – living or foraging primarily above ground.
- ergate – an ant caste consisting of the infertile females which form the majority of a colony’s population and perform a wide range of tasks. Also known as a worker.
- ergatoid – a reproductive adult ant that does not develop wings.
F
- fission – the process of a single ant colony splitting into two or more colonies.
- formic acid – an acid secreted by some types of ants for attacking and defense.
G
- gamergate – a mated worker ant that can function as a queen by laying fertilized eggs.
- gaster – the bulbous hind part of an ant, part of the abdomen.
- granivore – an ant that eats seeds.
- gongylidium – a nutritious fungal growth cultivated by leafcutter ants.
- gyne – an adult reproductive female ant, also known as a queen.
H
- harvester ant – a type of ant which collects and stores seeds.
- hell ant – a type of extinct trap-jaw ant, belonging to the subfamily †Haidomyrmecinae, which had mandibles that opened vertically rather than horizontally.
- hemolymph – the colorless, ant equivalent of blood.
- honeypot ant – a type of ant known for its repletes, which have rotund, swollen gasters filled with food.
- hypogeic – living or foraging primarily below ground.
I
- inquiline – a permanent parasite of ants, without slavery, that lives in the nest of a host ant species.
- instar – a developmental stage of ant larvae between molts. Ants have three to five larval instar stages before pupation.
J
K
L
- larva – the immature, worm-like form of an ant which has hatched from its egg but has not yet pupated.
- leafcutter ant – a type of ant which farms fungus by cutting up plant matter and feeding it to the fungus housed within its nest.
M
- major – a worker subcaste, in polymorphic ants, that is larger than typical workers.
- meconium – waste produced by ant larvae which can be seen inside the larvae or at the end of a pupal cocoon.
- media – a worker subcaste, in polymorphic ants, that is representative of typical workers.
- minor – a worker subcaste, in polymorphic ants, that is smaller than typical workers.
- monogynous – describes an ant colony which has only one queen.
- monomorphic – describes an ant species in which there is no distinct variation, in body size or shape, within the worker caste.
- myrmecologist – someone who studies ants.
- myrmecology – the study of ants.
- myrmecophile – an organism which has a symbiotic relationship with ants; an ant lover.
N
- nanitic – a worker ant from a queen’s first batch of eggs. Nanitics are usually smaller than typical workers.
- necrophoresis – the sanitation behavior in which ants carry the dead bodies of colony members away from their nest.
- nocturnal – primarily active at night.
- nuptial flight – the period when alates take flight in search of a mate.
O
- ocellus – a simple eye, found on the heads of most queens and males, and on some workers and soldiers. Ocelli are known to assist alates in flight and navigation.
- oleic acid – a chemical released by the bodies of decomposing ants.
- ommatidium – a single photoreception unit in a compound eye.
- Ophiocordyceps unilateralis – a species of parasitic fungus, also known as the zombie-ant fungus that infects ants and alters their behavior, ultimately killing the ants and spreading fungal spores.
P
- pheromone – a chemical signal used by ants to communicate.
- phragmosis – a defensive technique wherein ants used specially adapted body structures to block nest entrances.
- polygynous – describes an ant colony that has more than one queen.
- polymorphic – describes an ant species in which there is clear variation, in body size or shape, within the worker caste.
- princess – a female alate.
- pupa – the final, immature form of an ant before it develops into an adult. The larvae of some ants construct protective cocoons prior to pupation.
- pupate – the act of a larva developing into a pupa.
Q
R
- replete – an adult worker ant with a swollen gaster that functions as a living storage vessel, filling its crop with food.
S
- social stomach – the pouch in an ants gaster, also known as a crop, which stores food prior to digestion. Food stored in the social stomach can be shared with other ants through trophallaxis.
- soldier – an ant caste, in polymorphic ants, consisting of infertile females that are distinct from workers and usually specialize in colony defense. Also known as a dinergate.
- spiracle – a breathing hole found along the surface of an ant’s body.
- stridulation – a squeaking sound, produced by an ant’s gaster, used for communication.
- submajor – a worker subcaste, in polymorphic ants, that is larger than a media worker but smaller than a major worker.
- supercolony – a polygynous ant colony that consists of numerous connected nests spread over a large area.
- supermajor – a worker subcaste, in polymorphic ants, that is larger than a typical major worker.
T
- trap-jaw ant – a type of ant which can open its mandibles wide and snap them shut, similar to a bear trap.
- trophallaxis – the transfer of food between two ants via mouth-to-mouth regurgitation of food stored in the crop.
- trophic egg – a nonviable egg, produced for the purpose of consumption.
- turtle ant – a type of ant, belonging to the genus Cephalotes, whose soldier caste can plug nest entrances with their large, phragmotic heads.
U
V
W
- weaver ant – a type of ant, belonging to the genus Oecophylla, which weaves arboreal nests by binding leaves together with silk produced by their larvae.
- worker – an ant caste consisting of the infertile females which form the majority of a colony’s population and perform a wide range of tasks. Also known as an ergate.
X
Y
Z
- zombie-ant fungus – the common name for Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, a species of parasitic fungus that infects ants and alters their behavior, ultimately killing the ants and spreading fungal spores.