Giant Brazilian Ant vs Nigerian Driver Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Giant Brazilian Ant Nigerian Driver Ant
Scientific Name Dinoponera australis Dorylus nigricans
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Dorylidae
Size 20-28 mm Workers 3-14 mm; queen up to 52 mm
Habitat Forests Rivers & Streams
Diet Predators Carrion Feeders
Regions South America (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay) West Africa, Central Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Giant Brazilian Ant

A large ponerine ant found in the cerrado and Atlantic Forest regions of southern Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. Like its congener D. gigantea, it is queenless with a dominant gamergate worker handling reproduction. It is a solitary forager, hunting individual prey items on the forest floor.

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Did You Know?

When the dominant reproductive worker dies, subordinate workers engage in ritualized tournaments to determine the next gamergate.

Nigerian Driver Ant

A large driver ant species with massive soldier caste bearing sickle-shaped mandibles. Raiding columns can stretch over 100 meters.

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Did You Know?

Their queens are the largest known ants in the world and can lay up to 4 million eggs per month.