Turtle Ant vs Arrowhead Spiketail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Turtle Ant Arrowhead Spiketail
Scientific Name Cephalotes atratus Cordulegaster obliqua
Order Hymenoptera Odonata
Family Formicidae Cordulegastridae
Size 6-14 mm 70-80 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Omnivores
Regions Central America, South America North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Turtle Ant

A large, flat-bodied arboreal ant with a broad disc-shaped head used to block nest entrances in tree holes. Workers can glide directionally when falling from the canopy.

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Did You Know?

They are one of the few ant species capable of directed aerial gliding, steering back to their tree trunk mid-fall.

Arrowhead Spiketail

A large spiketail dragonfly with arrowhead-shaped yellow markings along its dark abdomen. It is found along seepage-fed streams in eastern North American forests.

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Did You Know?

Females can insert eggs directly into hard-packed stream gravel using their spike-like ovipositor.