Cheliomyrmex andicola

O'Donnell et al. (2005) described foraging and predation by rarely observed hypogaeic army ants in the genus Cheliomyrmex. Unlike other army ants, C. andicola workers use their sting during prey capture. The workers’ unusual mandibles and potent stings may be adapted for piercing and gripping the integument of nonarthropod prey animals, and for rapidly subduing large-bodied prey, respectively (. prey on large-bodied ground dwelling invertebrates and, possibly, on vertebrates

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Colombia, Peru.

Biology
O'Donnell et al. (2005) - A subterranean column of C. andicola workers erupted from the soil in pursuit of a fleeing giant earthworm. Several hundred ant workers ran over the leaf litter in the direction taken by the worm. Five C. andicola workers mounted the worm and were biting and apparently stinging its body. After the worm crawled for a distance of 3 m down slope from where it exited the soil, its body contracted from over 40 cm in length to approximately 20 cm in length, and abruptly stopped moving. We assumed that the worm was either paralyzed or dead. Thus Cheliomyrmex workers can actively pursue and subdue large-bodied, fast moving prey. We hypothesize that the mandibular morphology in Cheliomyrmex is an adaptation for the successful capture of large-bodied prey.



Nomenclature

 *  andicola. Cheliomyrmex nortoni subp. andicola Emery, 1894c: 185 (s.) PERU. Forel, 1914e: 10 (w.). Raised to species: Forel, 1914e: 10. Senior synonym of ursinum Kempf, 1975c: 372. See also: Borgmeier, 1955: 71.
 * ursinum. Eciton morosum subsp. ursinum Emery, 1901d: 52 (m.) BRAZIL. Combination in Cheliomyrmex: Wheeler, W.M. 1921d: 324. Raised to species: Wheeler, W.M. 1921d: 324. Junior synonym of andicola: Kempf, 1975c: 372.