''Aenictus'' is a large army ant

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

distributed in the

Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...

tropics The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

and

subtropics The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones immediately to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately ...

. It contains about 181 species, making it one of the larger ant genera of the world.

Biology and distribution

The genus presently has 181 species, distributed through the East

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

Afrotropical The Afrotropical realm is one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopi ...

Oriental The Orient is a term referring to the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of the term ''Occident'', which refers to the Western world. In English, it is largely a meto ...

, Indo-Australian, and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

n regions.Brown WL Jr. (2000) Diversity of ants. In: Agosti et al. (Eds) Ants. standard methods for measuring and monitoring biodiversity. Biological diversity hand book series. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington and London, 280 pp. Most of the species are

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

, with terrestrial habitats, foraging in soil,

leaf litter Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall, or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that has fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituen ...

, most of the

Southeast Asian Southeast Asia is the geographical southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Australian mainland, which is part of Oceania. Southeast Asia is ...

species forage on the ground, and some on trees and hunting other ant species and termites. Most species of the genus are specialized predators of other ants, especially of immature stages.Gotwald WH (1995) Army ants: the Biology of Social Predation. Cornell University Press, New York, 320 pp.Rościszewski M, Maschwitz U (1994) Prey specialization of army ants of the genus Aenictus in Malaysia. Andrias 13: 179-187. Only some Asian species such as '' Aenictus gracilis'', '' Aenictus laeviceps'', '' Aenictus hodgsoni'', and '' Aenictus paradentatus'' are known to hunt a variety of invertebrate prey, including ants, using a large number of workers in raids.Jaitrong W, Yamane Sk (2011) Synopsis of Aenictus species groups and revision of the A. currax and A. laeviceps groups in the eastern Oriental, Indo-Australian, and Australasian regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Aenictinae). Zootaxa 3128: 1-46. Foraging raids undertaken by these ants occur both day and night, usually across the ground surface but occasionally also in trees. During raids, numerous workers attack ant nests in a small area, with several workers coordinating their efforts to carry large prey items back to the nest or bivouac. Species of ''Aenictus'' are generally small, monomorphic and yellow to dark brown.

Species

*'' Aenictus acerbus'' Shattuck, 2008 *'' Aenictus aitkenii'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus alluaudi'' Santschi, 1910 *'' Aenictus alticola'' Wheeler, 1930 *'' Aenictus ambiguus'' Shuckard, 1840 *'' Aenictus anceps'' Forel, 1910 *'' Aenictus annae'' Forel, 1911 *'' Aenictus appressipilosus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus arabicus'' Sharaf & Aldawood, 2012 *'' Aenictus aratus'' Forel, 1900 *'' Aenictus artipus'' Wilson, 1964 *'' Aenictus arya'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus asantei'' Campione, Novak & Gotwald, 1983 *'' Aenictus asperivalvus'' Santschi, 1919 *'' Aenictus bakeri'' Menozzi, 1925 *'' Aenictus baliensis'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus bayoni'' Menozzi, 1932 *'' Aenictus binghami'' Forel, 1900 *'' Aenictus biroi'' Forel, 1907 *'' Aenictus bobaiensis'' Zhou & Chen, 1999 *'' Aenictus bodongjaya'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus bottegoi'' Emery, 1899 *'' Aenictus brazzai'' Santschi, 1910 *'' Aenictus breviceps'' Forel, 1912 *'' Aenictus brevicornis'' (Mayr, 1879) *'' Aenictus brevinodus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus brevipodus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus buttelreepeni'' Forel, 1913 *'' Aenictus buttgenbachi'' Forel, 1913 *'' Aenictus camposi'' Wheeler & Chapman, 1925 *'' Aenictus carolianus'' Zettel & Sorger, 2010 *'' Aenictus certus'' Westwood, 1842 *'' Aenictus ceylonicus'' (Mayr, 1866) *'' Aenictus changmaianus'' Terayama & Kubota, 1993 *'' Aenictus chapmani'' Wilson, 1964 *'' Aenictus clavatus'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus clavitibia'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus concavus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus congolensis'' Santschi, 1911 *'' Aenictus cornutus'' Forel, 1900 *'' Aenictus crucifer'' Santschi, 1914 *'' Aenictus currax'' Emery, 1900 *'' Aenictus cylindripetiolus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus decolor'' (Mayr, 1879) *'' Aenictus dentatus'' Forel, 1911 *'' Aenictus diclops'' Shattuck, 2008 *'' Aenictus dlusskyi'' Arnol'di, 1968 *'' Aenictus doryloides'' Wilson, 1964 *'' Aenictus doydeei'' Jaitrong, Yamane & Chanthalangsy, 2011 *'' Aenictus duengkaei'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2012 *'' Aenictus eguchii'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus eugenii'' Emery, 1895 *'' Aenictus exilis'' Wilson, 1964 *'' Aenictus feae'' Emery, 1889 *'' Aenictus fergusoni'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus foreli'' Santschi, 1919 *'' Aenictus formosensis'' Forel, 1913 *'' Aenictus fuchuanensis'' Zhou, 2001 *'' Aenictus fulvus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus furculatus'' Santschi, 1919 *'' Aenictus furibundus'' Arnold, 1959 *'' Aenictus fuscipennis'' Forel, 1913 *'' Aenictus fuscovarius'' Gerstäcker, 1859 *'' Aenictus gibbosus'' Dalla Torre, 1893 *'' Aenictus glabratus'' Jaitrong & Nur-Zati, 2010 *'' Aenictus glabrinotum'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus gleadowii'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus gonioccipus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus gracilis'' Emery, 1893 *'' Aenictus grandis'' Bingham, 1903 *'' Aenictus gutianshanensis'' Staab, 2014 *'' Aenictus hamifer'' Emery, 1896 *'' Aenictus henanensis'' Li & Wang, 2005 *'' Aenictus hilli'' Clark, 1928 *'' Aenictus hodgsoni'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus hottai'' Terayama & Yamane, 1989 *'' Aenictus humeralis'' Santschi, 1910 *'' Aenictus huonicus'' Wilson, 1964 *'' Aenictus icarus'' Forel, 1911 *'' Aenictus idoneus'' Menozzi, 1928 *'' Aenictus inconspicuus'' Westwood, 1845 *'' Aenictus indicus'' Bharti, Wachkoo & Kumar, 2012 *'' Aenictus inflatus'' Yamane & Hashimoto, 1999 *'' Aenictus itoi'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus jacobsoni'' Forel, 1909 *'' Aenictus jarujini'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2010 *'' Aenictus javanus'' Emery, 1896 *'' Aenictus jawadwipa'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus khaoyaiensis'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus kutai'' Jaitrong & Wiwatwitaya, 2013 *'' Aenictus laeviceps'' (Smith, 1857) *'' Aenictus latifemoratus'' Terayama & Yamane, 1989 *'' Aenictus latiscapus'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus leliepvrei'' Bernard, 1953 *'' Aenictus leptotyphlatta'' Jaitrong & Eguchi, 2010 *'' Aenictus levior'' (Karavaiev, 1926) *'' Aenictus lifuiae'' Terayama, 1984 *'' Aenictus longi'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus longicephalus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus longinodus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2012 *'' Aenictus luteus'' Emery, 1892 *'' Aenictus luzoni'' Wheeler & Chapman, 1925 *'' Aenictus maneerati'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus mariae'' Emery, 1895 *'' Aenictus mauritanicus'' Santschi, 1910 *'' Aenictus mentu'' Weber, 1942 *'' Aenictus minimus'' Jaitrong & Hashimoto, 2012 *'' Aenictus minipetiolus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus minutulus'' Terayama & Yamane, 1989 *'' Aenictus mocsaryi'' Emery, 1901 *'' Aenictus moebii'' Emery, 1895 *'' Aenictus montivagus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus mutatus'' Santschi, 1913 *'' Aenictus nesiotis'' Wheeler, 1930 *'' Aenictus nganduensis'' Wilson, 1964 *'' Aenictus nishimurai'' Terayama & Kubota, 1993 *'' Aenictus obscurus'' Smith, 1865 *'' Aenictus orientalis'' (Karavaiev, 1926) *'' Aenictus pachycerus'' (Smith, 1858) *'' Aenictus pangantihoni'' Zettel & Sorger, 2010 *'' Aenictus paradentatus'' Jaitrong, Yamane & Tasen, 2012 *'' Aenictus parahuonicus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus peguensis'' Emery, 1895 *'' Aenictus pfeifferi'' Zettel & Sorger, 2010 *'' Aenictus pharoa'' Santschi, 1924 *'' Aenictus philiporum'' Wilson, 1964 *'' Aenictus philippinensis'' Chapman, 1963 *'' Aenictus piercei'' Wheeler, 1930 *'' Aenictus pilosus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus pinkaewi'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus porizonoides'' Walker, 1860 *'' Aenictus powersi'' Wheeler, 1930 *'' Aenictus prolixus'' Shattuck, 2008 *'' Aenictus pubescens'' Smith, 1859 *'' Aenictus punctatus'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2012 *'' Aenictus punctiventris'' Emery, 1901 *'' Aenictus punensis'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus rabori'' Chapman, 1963 *'' Aenictus raptor'' Forel, 1913 *'' Aenictus reyesi'' Chapman, 1963 *'' Aenictus rhodiensis'' Menozzi, 1936 *'' Aenictus rixator'' Emery, 1901 *'' Aenictus rotundatus'' Mayr, 1901 *'' Aenictus rotundicollis'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus rougieri'' André, 1893 *'' Aenictus sagei'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus schneirlai'' Wilson, 1964 *'' Aenictus shillongensis'' Mathew & Tiwari, 2000 *'' Aenictus shuckardi'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus siamensis'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus silvestrii'' Wheeler, 1929 *'' Aenictus sonchaengi'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus soudanicus'' Santschi, 1910 *'' Aenictus spathifer'' Santschi, 1928 *'' Aenictus steindachneri'' Mayr, 1901 *'' Aenictus stenocephalus'' Jaitrong, Yamane & Wiwatwitaya, 2010 *'' Aenictus subterraneus'' Jaitrong & Hashimoto, 2012 *'' Aenictus sulawesiensis'' Jaitrong & Wiwatwitaya, 2013 *'' Aenictus sumatrensis'' Forel, 1913 *'' Aenictus sundalandensis'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus thailandianus'' Terayama & Kubota, 1993 *'' Aenictus togoensis'' Santschi, 1915 *'' Aenictus trigonus'' Forel, 1911 *'' Aenictus turneri'' Forel, 1900 *'' Aenictus vagans'' Santschi, 1924 *'' Aenictus vaucheri'' Emery, 1915 *'' Aenictus vieti'' Jaitrong, Yamane & Wiwatwitaya, 2010 *'' Aenictus villiersi'' Bernard, 1953 *'' Aenictus watanasiti'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus wayani'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011 *'' Aenictus weissi'' Santschi, 1910 *'' Aenictus westwoodi'' Forel, 1901 *'' Aenictus wilaiae'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus wilsoni'' Bharti, Wachkoo & Kumar, 2012 *'' Aenictus wiwatwitayai'' Jaitrong & Yamane, 2013 *'' Aenictus wroughtonii'' Forel, 1890 *'' Aenictus wudangshanensis'' Wang, 2006 *'' Aenictus yamanei'' Wiwatwitaya & Jaitrong, 2011 *'' Aenictus zhengi'' Zhang, 1995

References

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External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q310045 Dorylinae Ant genera Taxa named by William Edward Shuckard