Weaver ant

Workers of the African weaver ant ( Oecophylla longinoda )

The weaver ants ( Oecophylla ) are a genus of ants ( Formicidae ) and to the subfamily of ants include scales ( Formicinae ). Characteristic design and name for this genus is the construction of a silk nest, which is a free nest from leaves that are " woven together " with silk threads produced by the larvae.

System

There are two extant species known: Oecophylla longinoda and Oecophylla smaragdina. Oecophylla longinoda is spread over the entire tropical Africa, the distribution area of Oecophylla smaragdina, however, ranges from India to Australia.

Fossils

Many fossil record, mostly preserved in amber, show an earlier dissemination in Europe.

Extinct species:

• Oecophylla atavina lived in the Oligocene (before about 33.9 to 23.03 million years ago ), found on the Isle of Wight
• Oecophylla brischkei lived in the Eocene Period ( about 56 to about 33.9 million years ago ) found in Baltic amber
• Oecophylla crassinoda lived in the Eocene, found in Baltic amber
• Oecophylla leakeyi lived in East Africa in the Miocene epoch, about 30 million years ago, was found a nest fossiliertes
• Oecophylla megarche lived in the Oligocene, found on Isle of Wight

Confusion

In addition to the genus Oecophylla ants of the genus Polyrhachis also use (eg Polyrhachis dives ) their larvae to spin the nest. From a scientific perspective, these ants are not counted among the weaver ants because unlike Oecophylla they build their nests not in leaves, but look for itself after nesting material and weave it to walls and floors.