Species from the Peruvian Jungle

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English  Name: Leaf cutter ants
Scientific Name: atta sexdens

Spanish Name:  Hormiga cortadora de hojas

Size: they are about 2.1mm and they can grow up to 12,5 mm

Life span: they live 10-15 years as long as the queen is alive.

 Diet: Fresh leaves, fruits,flowers,tubers, and plant stems.
 
 
  • Predators: Their predators are insectes, ant eater, human, and some mammals.


Adaptations:

  • They survive in ther habitat becouse they live in a colony were they can be defended
habitat: tropical rain forest
   
Interesting Facts:
 
  • they collect leaves from the upper parts of the canopy
  • take dead ants and other waste to an underground dump sites or to a trash dump above ground
  • their method of leaf gathering prevents trees outside the colony from being strpped bare like the ones inside the colonie's home palce
  • these ants are a very good source of proteins for humans
  • folklore also claims that indians used the jaws of the ant soldier as sutures to hold together the edges of a wound.


 Bibliography:  (go to MLA site)
"" 12 Mar. 2003 <http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/insectia/photo/zoom-02.html>
 "" 12 Mar. 2003 <animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/atta/a._sexdens$narrative.html>
"" 12 Mar. 2003 <www.antcolony.org/leafcutter/leafcuttermain.ht>

Researchers: Daniel G.and Nicole G.