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Subfamily PONERINAE
Tribe PONERINI

Ponera exotica M.R.Smith

Ponera exotica, full face view of a worker (click image to enlarge).
Photo courtesy of http://www.antweb.org/

Ponera exotica, side view of a worker (click image to enlarge).
Photo courtesy of http://www.antweb.org/

Ponera exotica was at one time considered to be an introduced species. However, after litter sampling techinques became commonplace, it was discovered that this species was seemingly well integrated into natural habitats and it seemed likely that it was actually a native species. In Mississippi and Alabama, we have found it to be especially common in upland hardwood forests, where it nests in the soil/humus layer beneath leaves.

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