Monomorium santschii

Monomorium santschii
Monomorium santschii
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Monomorium
Species: M. santschii
Binomial name
Monomorium santschii
(Forel, 1905)

Monomorium santschii is a species of ant that is native to Tunisia.

It is a parasitic ant that has no worker caste. The queen enters the colony of a different species and, probably by employing a pheromone, she forces the host workers to kill their queen. She then uses these workers as slaves to bring up her own offspring.

References

  • Social Insects Specialist Group (1996). Monomorium santschii. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU D2 v2.3)