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Podomyrma gratiosa & Crematogaster sp.
South Australia

photograph © Alex Wild 2005

Brute force versus chemical weaponry: the heavily armored Podomyrma ant dispatches small Crematogaster with her powerful mandibles, but the smaller ants use strong defensive chemicals in return, coating their adversary with a thick acrid foam exuded from their abdomens.

 
Australia, SA: 12 km NE Naracoorte.
Black Cockatoo Bush Camp.
36º51.841'S 140º49.396'E, 90m, 18.x.2005
Lowland Eucalyptus forest, grazed.

This image is copyrighted by the photographer and cannot be used without permission. To obtain permission to use this image, please email Alex Wild. (alwild (at) myrmecos.net).  Most of the photographs on myrmecos.net are reduced from their original size and compressed for more efficient web transmission.  In some cases, higher quality versions are available.

This image was captured with a Canon EOS D60, using a Canon 65/2.8 MPE 1-5x Macro lens.