What ant is this?

[mtrein]

Hi, can anyone help me identify this ant?

i54.tinypic.com/2i9tmr5.jpg
i55.tinypic.com/2j43n0l.jpg
i56.tinypic.com/2gwgg46.jpg

[mtrein]

I'm thinking it is actually a Diacamma

termitesandants.blogspot.com/2009/09/queenless-ant-diacamma-intricatum.html

But I'm still not sure

[Quah]

Can't be sure as the photograph is not very sharp but it is most likely a Pachycondyla.

termitesandants.blogspot.com/2011/01/pachycondyla-sp.html

[Wood~Ant]

It could be a Bullet Ant, but she looks a bit large around the gaster for a Paraponera
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraponera

Here is a fairly complete listing of ant species that may be found in Brazil}
www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?act=x_checklist&guide=Ants_Brazil

The photos posted by Marcelo were a bit too big, so they have been taken back to an URL, but still work if you click them and enlarge the picture

[mtrein]

Thanks for the insight so far

I uploaded some better pictures I took this morning, and a short video as well. I'm putting their links this time (sorry wood, didn't realise the pics would come out so big) :S

i56.tinypic.com/jg31br.jpg
i55.tinypic.com/14wyjxh.jpg



The size of the ant is around 20mm. Whatever species it is, I hope it is a queen!

I put some live termites in it's nest this morning and a bit of sugar, but so far it hasn't touched the termites, only the sugar. Let's hope it starts laying eggs.

[mtrein]

Well, after a lot of reading and talking to experts, I now believe that this ant is a Pachycondyla harpax worker.

[mtrein]

Yesterday I was heading to bed and went to check my Camponotus ligniperda colony and the Pachycondyla harpax worker and I saw she was holding something in her jaws. It was an egg!

There are three possibilities that I am considering:
1. It is only a "feeding" egg and nothing will be born from it, I think this is the most likely possibility so far.
2. The ant did not get fertilized and a male will be born from it. In this case, will the male be able to couple with her?
3. She is a queen. But I don't think this is likely, because I can't see wing markings on her.

[Wood~Ant]

Oct 14, 2011 12:40:13 GMT mtrein said:

Yesterday I was heading to bed and went to check my Camponotus ligniperda colony and the Pachycondyla harpax worker and I saw she was holding something in her jaws. It was an egg!

There are three possibilities that I am considering:
1. It is only a "feeding" egg and nothing will be born from it, I think this is the most likely possibility so far.
2. The ant did not get fertilized and a male will be born from it. In this case, will the male be able to couple with her?
3. She is a queen. But I don't think this is likely, because I can't see wing markings on her.

As all worker ants are females, they often do lay eggs; but these eggs are usually eaten. If it does hatch and become a male it cannot mate with a worker (although it will try) as workers do not have a sperm sac like a true queen ant does and so cannot be fertilised.

[mtrein]

Hi wood

Thanks for the insight