Atta is a genus of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae. It contains at least 17 known species.
Leafcutter ants, a non-generic name, are any of 47 species of leaf-chewing ants belonging to the two genera Atta and Acromyrmex. These species of tropical, fungus-growing ants are all endemic to South and Central America, Mexico, and parts of the southern United States. Leafcutter ants can carry twenty times their body weight and cut and process fresh vegetation to serve as the nutritional substrate for their fungal cultivates, and they are also capable of cutting through human skins.
Acromyrmex is a genus of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae. This genus is found in South America and parts of Central America and the Caribbean Islands, and contains 31 known species. Commonly known as "leafcutter ants" they comprise one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini, along with Atta.
Acromyrmex octospinosus is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in Central America ranging from southern Mexico down to Panama; and across northern South America in Venezuela.
Acromyrmex lundii is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina.
Acromyrmex ameliae is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced fungus-growing ants within the tribe Attini. It is found in the wild naturally in South America in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Acromyrmex balzani is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in eastern Paraguay and southern Brazil.
Acromyrmex coronatus is a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae found in the wild naturally from Guatemala to Brazil and Ecuador.
Acromyrmex crassispinus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae found in the wild naturally throughout South America, especially in Argentina and Paraguay.
Acromyrmex diasi is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in Brazil.
Acromyrmex heyeri is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex.
Acromyrmex hispidus is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally in southern Brazil and Bolivia.
Acromyrmex insinuator is a social parasite of the closely related Acromyrmex echinatior. This specific parasite is of particular interest as it is an opportunity to study the development of social parasitism in the Attini tribe, and provides further evidence for Emery's rule, which theorizes social parasites among insects tend to be parasites of species or genera to which they are closely related to.
Acromyrmex lobicornis is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. This species is from one of the two genera of advanced attines within the tribe Attini.
Acromyrmex striatus is a species of the leaf-cutter ants found in the Neotropics.
Acromyrmex versicolor is known as the desert leafcutting ant. A. versicolor is found during the summer months in the Colorado and Sonoran deserts when there is precipitation. They form large, distinctive nest craters that are covered with leaf fragments. Living and dead leaves are collected by workers and used to cultivate fungus gardens. Each colony has multiple queens, which is a practice called pleometrosis,and each queen has her own batch of “starter” fungus. This species does not sting.
Acromyrmex pubescens is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. They are native to Paraguay.
Acromyrmex echinatior is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. It is found in the wild naturally from Mexico to Panama.
