Twig Ant vs Lutzomyia Sand Fly (Whitmani)
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Twig Ant | Lutzomyia Sand Fly (Whitmani) |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pseudomyrmex gracilis | Lutzomyia whitmani |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Diptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Psychodidae |
| Size | 8-10 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Forests |
| Diet | Predators | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | North America, Central America, South America | Brazil, South America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Twig Ant
A slender fast-moving ant that nests in hollow twigs and delivers a painful sting.
Did You Know?
It has excellent vision and can spot approaching threats from several centimeters away.
Lutzomyia Sand Fly (Whitmani)
A small sandfly that is the major vector of Leishmania braziliensis, which causes mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. It bites at the forest edge and in peridomestic environments. The disease it transmits can cause devastating destruction of nasal and oral mucosa.
Did You Know?
Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis transmitted by this fly can destroy the nose and palate, and was depicted in pre-Columbian pottery from Peru.