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Myrmecocystus
Myrmecocystus (from Koine Greek μυρμήκιον [mýrmikion], meaning "ant", and κύστις [kýstis], meaning "bladder" or "sac"), is a North American genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. It is one of five genera that includes honeypot ants. Worker ants keep and tend plerergates, which are other ants that store large quantities of nutritious fluid in their abdomens to feed the colony during famine times. Some species engage in highly territorial tournaments, which can result in intraspecific slavery. During the raids, they carry off larvae, workers, and plerergates. The genus has three subgenera, namely Myrmecocystus, Endiodioctes, and Eremnocystus.
Species
Media
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