| Myrmecocystus mexicanus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Myrmecocystus testaceus antweb.org specimen | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Genus: | Myrmecocystus |
| Subgenus: | Myrmecocystus (subgenus) |
| Species: | M. testaceus |
| Binomial name | |
| Myrmecocystus testaceus Emery, 1893 | |
Myrmecocystus testaceus is a species of honeypot ant found throughout the southern United States. It is usually nocturnal, and nests in sand.
They can spray formic acid from their gasters to melt skin tissue. Instead of stinging and swarming, they stretch their prey by the legs until it splits or dies from bites and formic acid.
References
- Joshua D. Day; Tara B. B. Bishop; Samuel B. St. Clair (2018). "Fire and plant invasion, but not rodents, alter ant community abundance and diversity in a semi‐arid desert". Ecosphere. 9 (7): e02344–. doi:10.1002/ecs2.2344. ISSN 2150-8925.
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Myrmecocystus testaceus | |
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