ANATOMY & BIOLOGY

Height/weight/ general size information :

• COMMON NAME: Ants

• SCIENTIFIC NAME: Formicidae

• TYPE: Invertebrates

• DIET: Omnivores

• GROUP NAME: Army, colony

• AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: Several weeks to several years

• WEIGHT: 0.001 MG

• HEIGHT: 0.05-0.01 IN

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An explanation of significant or unique physical characteristic :

Ants are common insects, but they have some unique capabilities. More than 10,000 known ant species occur around the world. They are especially prevalent in tropical forests, where they may be up to half of all the insects living in some locations.

How the animal breathe :

Ants, like all insects, don’t have lungs, breathing through tiny holes in their sides – spiracles – one pair per segment.

How long the average animal of this species lives :

Black garden ant: 15 years, Pharaoh ant: 4 – 12 years

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Classification of Ants

• Kingdom: Animalia

• Phylum: Arthropoda

• Class: Insecta

• Order: Hymenoptera

• Family: Formicidae

• Subfamily: Dolichoderinae

• Genus: Iridomymex

• Species: Purpureus

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types of ants

• fire ant

• black garden ant

• carpenter ant

• weaver ant

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Scientific name of Ants

Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera.

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Misrepresentation: Ants vs Termites

1. While both species have four wings, termite wings are uniform in size. Winged ants have noticeably larger wings in the front than the pair in the back.

2. Termites antennae are almost straight where the ant's antennae is elbowed.

3. Termite wings are twice as long as their body. Ant wings are shorter and more proportionate to their bodies.

4. Ants appear distinctly segmented, because of their thin waist. Termites have a broad waist and are mostly a uniform width along their entire body.

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