Pergid Sawfly vs Schaufuss's Rover Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Pergid Sawfly Schaufuss's Rover Ant
Scientific Name Perga affinis Tetramorium schaufussii
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pergidae Formicidae
Size 15-20 mm 2-3.5 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Herbivores Seed Feeders
Regions Eastern Australia Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Pergid Sawfly

An Australian sawfly whose larvae form dense defensive clusters called spitfires on eucalyptus trees. When threatened, larvae rear up and regurgitate eucalyptus oil.

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Did You Know?

Larvae tap their tails on the branch in unison to signal the group to move to fresh leaves.

Schaufuss's Rover Ant

A small ant with coarsely sculptured integument and short propodeal spines. It belongs to a species group that is entirely endemic to Madagascar.

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Did You Know?

Molecular studies suggest its species group arrived in Madagascar via a single colonization event and then diversified explosively.