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Atta Ant, Leafcutter Ant
Atta colombica
-3.52389, -72.3374
Field Notes
Description:
I hope I got the species right. This massive, 1"+ ant queen came as a real shock to me, thinking it was an ordinary worker ant. It took awhile to find out she is a queen, having just lost her wings. Look at her shoulder in #1 and you'll see where one was attached. She is a dull almost-black color with red bulbs on either side of the head.
Habitat:
Lowland rainforest along the north bank of the Amazon River, 60km east of Iquitos. Wikipedia says colombica is found as far south as Colombia, but I found this specimen just south of the border, so perhaps it is something else.
Notes:
Check out the thumb in #4. It's a man's thumb.
Reference Links:
Atta colombica
Species ID Suggestions
Spotted for Missions
Photographed
PublishedJanuary 26, 2016
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