Jet Black Ant vs Malagasy Rhinoceros Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Jet Black Ant Malagasy Rhinoceros Beetle
Scientific Name Lasius fuliginosus Oryctes simiar
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Formicidae Scarabaeidae
Size 4-6 mm 35-50 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Fungus Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Jet Black Ant

A shiny jet-black ant that builds carton nests inside hollow trees using chewed wood mixed with honeydew. It cultivates a specific fungus that strengthens the nest walls.

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Did You Know?

The fungus Cladosporium myrmecophilum grows exclusively in the carton nests of this ant species.

Malagasy Rhinoceros Beetle

A large, dark brown scarab beetle with a prominent upward-curving horn on the male's head. Females lack the horn and have a more rounded pronotum.

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Did You Know?

Males use their horns to battle rivals by wedging the horn under an opponent and flipping them off branches.