Escudo de la República de Colombia Escudo de la República de Colombia
Panel de Accesibilidad

✎ Andrés Rodriguez

✎ Andrés Rodriguez

✎ Camilo Alméciga

Bullet Ant
Paraponera clavataAmazon region

  • Generalities
  • Morpho-functionality
  • Lifecycle
  • Distribution

RECORRIDO VIRTUAL POR LA BIODIVERSIDAD DE COLOMBIA
Museo de Historia Natural
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Bullet Ant
Paraponera clavata

It is one of the largest neotropical ants; being a social insect it lives in colonies. They build their nests at the foot of palm trees, trees and vines, where between 500 and 1500 individuals can reside. Its sting is very painful, since it contains the venom poneratoxin, a neurotoxin that directly attacks the nervous system of its prey or enemies. It feeds on other invertebrates, sap, and plant material. It has both diurnal and nocturnal habits.

Conservation status

Extinct

Extinct in the Wild

Critically Endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near Threatened

Least Concern

Not Evaluated

Data Deficient

Morpho-functionality

Orientation

Workers can lay eggs that serve to feed their sister larvae.

Antennae

Through the smell registered with their antennae and the sunlight perceived with their ocelli, they guide themselves to return to their nest after foraging alone in the forest.

Sting

Like other ants, they defend themselves by biting with their huge jaws, but they also have a sting with which they inject the poison, which is very painful. In some areas they are called bullet ants.

Lifecycle

The colony is monogynic, that is, with a single queen. The foundation of the colony is carried out by a lone queen, which implies a risk since it is not assisted by workers. This queen must feed the first-born larvae, because her fat reserves are limited and she is forced to go out to forage, exposing herself to being depredated. When the first adult workers emerge, they replace her in foraging and rearing activities for the new larvae.

The reproductive specimens (winged males and females) have been reported in their nests between the months of July and November. In many species of the Ponerinae subfamily, workers have been detected with fertile eggs that are capable of replacing the queen if she is missing.

Bullet Ant

Distribution

They are Neotropical ants and the distribution of the nests influences the territorial activities of neighboring ant hills of the same species. It is distributed below 100 m from the Atlantic coast in Nicaragua to Brazil and Paraguay. It has both diurnal and nocturnal habits.

Distribution area