Atta laevigata
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2011) |
Atta laevigata | |
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A. laevigata worker | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Genus: | Atta |
Species: | A. laevigata
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Binomial name | |
Atta laevigata |
Atta laevigata (
The colony sizes of these ants are made up of around 3.5 million individuals.[5]
Cuisine
The hormiga culona has been eaten for hundreds (if not thousands) of years, as a tradition inherited from
The harvesting is done by local workers, who are often bitten by the ants with their strong
Analyses conducted at the Industrial University of Santander, on the nutritional value of the ants,[7] show high levels of protein, very low levels of saturated fat, and an overall decent nutritional value.[citation needed]
Atta laevigata is a temporary source of income for the poorer people of the department. The harvesting of the ant queens (as well as the competition for resources with more aggressive species of leafcutter-ants/"arrieras") causes a progressive decrease of the ant populations, as estimated in recent studies;[8] according to observations, only a sixth of the ant population of twelve years ago exists today, and for this reason, there is concern about the species’ future.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "Atta laevigata". AntWeb. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
- ISBN 9781134457403.
- ^ "Chicatanas". www.exploringoaxaca.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ^ "Saúva-cabeça-de-vidro: habitat e características". Meus Animais (in Portuguese). 2021-05-29. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ISBN 9780393067040.
- LCCN 2011032630.
- ^ Alfonso Villalobos et al., 1999[full citation needed]
- ^ Santamaria et al. 2005[full citation needed]
External links
- Media related to Atta laevigata at Wikimedia Commons
- Crunchy, Big-Butt Ants Entice Gourmands In Discovery Channel animal news. Retrieved December 26, 2006.