Myrmecia brevinoda: One of the Largest Ants in the World

Nov 3

2 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

If you are looking for the biggest bull ant, Myrmecia brevinoda is a strong candidate. With workers of almost 4 cm and even larger queens, it is one of the largest ants in the world. Here is what we know about this giant.

Myrmecia brevinoda, a giant dark red bull ant with a black gaster — Myrmecia brevinoda, one of the largest ants in the world.

A true giant

Workers of Myrmecia brevinoda can reach around 3.7 cm in length, and queens can be more than 4 cm. That makes it one of the largest bull ants, and one of the largest ants on earth.

Appearance

Most of the body is dark red, while the rounded parts of the gaster are black. Like other bull ants, it has large eyes and long, toothed jaws.

Myrmecia brevinoda, one of the largest ants in the world — Myrmecia brevinoda.

Where does it live?

Myrmecia brevinoda is found only in eastern Australia: in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.

A visit to New Zealand

Interestingly, Myrmecia brevinoda has also turned up in New Zealand, probably brought there by accident. It was first found there in 1940, and the last record dates from 1981, so it never seems to have established itself.

Chromosomes

Bull ants differ enormously in their number of chromosomes. While Myrmecia croslandi, a close relative of the jack jumper, has just one pair, Myrmecia brevinoda has dozens. Read more in Myrmecia croslandi.