Mycocepurus smithii

Mycocepurus smithii is a species of fungus-growing ants from Latin America. This species is geographically widely distributed and can be found from Mexico in the north to Argentina in the south. Mycocepurus smithii was also found on some Caribbean Islands.[1][2][3] It tends to be found in a variety of forested habitats and associated open areas.[2] Two studies published in 2009 demonstrated that some populations of the species consist exclusively of females which reproduce via thelytokous parthenogenesis.[4][5] A detailed study found evidence of sexual reproduction in some populations in the Brazilian Amazon.[3] Accordingly, M. smithii consists of a mosaic of sexually and asexually reproducing populations.[3] In asexual populations all ants in a single colony are female clones of the queen.[3] Inside the colony, the ants cultivate a garden of fungus grown with pieces of dead vegetable matter, dead insects, and insect droppings.[6][7]
Category:Animals
Category:Creatures