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Ants

Yellow crazy ant
Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae)

Status
Exotic (established in Australia) High Impact Pest Species

Dorsal view Zoomify

Caption: Specimen without location label.

Source: Ken Walker Museum Victoria

Total length of workers around 4 mm. Body color yellow, gaster brownish. Antennae and legs remarkably long. Head oval. Clypeus produced medially, with convex anterior margin. Eyes relatively large and produced. Mandibles with 8 teeth. Antennae 11-segmented; scapes twice as long as the length of the head, or longer; their second to terminal segments each more than three times as long as wide. Mesosoma slender. Pronotum narrow, with almost straight dorsum in profile. Anterior portion of mesonotal dorsum, back to the propodeum, gently concave in profile. Propodeal dorsum convex in profile. Petiole thick, with an inverted-U-shaped crest. Erect hairs present on head and gaster, lacking on dorsum of mesosoma.

A. gracilipes, or the yellow crazy ant, is one of the largest invasive ants. This species, also known as the long-legged ant, is notable for its remarkably long legs and antennae. It has a yellow-brownish body colour, and is weakly sclerotized. Workers have a long slender gracile body, with the gaster is usually darker than the head and thorax. It may subdue or kill invertebrate prey or small vertebrates by spraying formic acid.

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PaDIL Links:
Argentine ant (Linepithema humile)
Singapore ant (Monomorium destructor)
Pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis)
black house ant (Ochetellus glaber)
Crazy Ant (Paratrechina longicornis)
Tropical Fire Ant (Solenopsis geminata)
Red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta )
white-footed ant (Technomyrmex jocosus)
electric ant (Wasmannia auropunctata)

Specimen contact point: AQIS Brisbane

Citation: Walker, K. (2008) Yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) Pest and Diseases Image Library. Updated on 12/17/2008 4:15:01 PM. Available online: http://www.padil.gov.au

Created Date: 5/28/2005 3:22:19 PM

Last Updated: 12/17/2008 4:15:01 PM

Diagnostic Images
Abdomen	Antenna	Head Front	Head Front
Thorax Above	Thorax Side
Overview Images
Dorsal	Lateral	Posterior
Other Images
Dorsal View - Queen	Head Anterior View - Queen	Lateral View - Queen	Thorax Dorsal View
Thorax-Propodeum Lateral View