Myrmecia
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The Myrmeciinae is a subfamily of the Formicidae that was once found worldwide but is currently restricted to Australia and New Caledonia. The Myrmeciinae comprise two extant genera, Myrmecia and Nothomyrmecia, as well as the fossil genus Prionomyrmex.
Myrmecia, often called bull ants or jack-jumpers, are well-known in Australia for their aggressive behavior and powerful stings. The venom of these ants has approximately a 3% chance to induce anaphylactic shock in their sting victims. Until the introduction of a vaccine the stings could, if gone untreated for only a matter of hours, be lethal. These large, alert ants have characteristic large eyes and long, slender mandibles and they have superior vision, able to track and even follow, intruders from a distance of 1 meter.
External links
- [Brisbane Ants page on Myrmeciinae w/pictures, info]
- [Australian Ants Online: Myrmeciinae]
- [Myrmecos.net: Photo Gallery of Myrmecia bulldog ants]
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