Ants of Medical Importance - Other Species

Other Species

Apart from Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis richteri, serious allergic reactions are known from ants belonging to 6 different subfamilies (Formicinae, Myrmeciinae, Ponerinae, Ectatomminae, Myrmicinae, and Pseudomyrmecinae) and 10 genera (Solenopsis, Formica, Myrmecia, Tetramorium, Pogonomyrmex, Pachycondyla, Odontomachus, Rhytidoponera, Pseudomyrmex, and Hypoponera).

The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile is found in Argentina, Southern Europe, Southern USA and California. They are small and are found in human habitations. They often kill other ant species. They have been noted as having the potential to carry pathogens in hospital environments.

The Pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis is found around the world. It is not known for its sting, but has been involved in respiratory allergies.

Bulldog ants, genus Myrmecia are found in Australia and belong to the ant subfamily Myrmeciinae, and are among the most primitive extant ants. All but one of the sixty or so species are found in Australia. This species is known to cause some fatalities in sensitive humans.

Bullet ants, genus Paraponera found from Nicaragua southward to the Amazon Basin and their close relatives of the genus Dinoponera are New World ponerines known for their painful stings.

Driver ants, genus Dorylus are found in the Old world, esp. West Africa and the Congo Basin. Unlike the army ants of the New World, Old World army ants have a functional sting, but rarely use it; this is more than compensated for by their razor-sharp, falcate mandibles. Dorylus spp. colonies also reach larger sizes than Eciton. The Siafu ants on Mount Meru in Tanzania were implicated in the death of a missing tourist to the Congo.

Red harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus found in Western USA are bright red myrmicine ants whose venom is the most potent of any ants species.