Helicopter Damselfly vs Disc-Headed Turtle Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Helicopter Damselfly Disc-Headed Turtle Ant
Scientific Name Megaloprepus caerulatus Cephalotes varians
Order Hemiptera Hymenoptera
Family Pseudostigmatidae Formicidae
Size 100 mm body, 190 mm wingspan 3-6 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Predators Gall Makers
Regions Central America, South America Southeastern United States (Florida), Caribbean, Mexico
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Helicopter Damselfly

The largest damselfly in the world with a wingspan approaching 19 centimeters.

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Did You Know?

It breeds exclusively in water-filled tree holes high in the forest canopy.

Disc-Headed Turtle Ant

A small arboreal turtle ant in which soldiers have perfectly circular, flat heads that serve as living nest entrance plugs. Workers are dark brown with lateral body flanges. They nest in abandoned beetle galleries in living trees.

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Did You Know?

Their soldier heads evolved to exactly match the diameter of beetle bore holes, creating a perfect manhole-cover defense system.