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Megalomyrmex symmetochus (attine parasite) in Trachymyrmex nest
Panama

photograph © Alex Wild 2007

Colonies of the social parasite Megalomyrmex symmetochus are small, consisting of only a handful of ants.  They raise their brood in small chambers built within the fungus gardens of their host species.

 
PANAMA. Laboratory colony at the University of Texas, Austin.

This image is copyrighted by the photographer and cannot be used without permission. To obtain permission to use this image, please email Alex Wild. (alwild (at) myrmecos.net).  Most of the photographs on myrmecos.net are reduced from their original size and compressed for more efficient web transmission.  In some cases, higher quality versions are available.

This image was captured with a Canon EOS 20D, using a Canon 65/2.8 MPE 1-5x Macro lens.