What is the scientific name for an ant? The ant scientific name is Formicidae.
Ants are among the most commonly distributed insects worldwide. They reside in colonies, COMMUNICATE, AND ARE ESSENTIAL TO MANY ECOSYSTEMS. Do you ever wonder what the ant’s scientific name would be?
In this article, we will talk about the biological name of an ant and present some insight into the scientific name for ants as a whole. We will also look at black and red ants and list 100+ different ant species to help you get more familiar with the amazing creatures that they are.
Table of Contents
What Is the Scientific Name of Ant?
Many different scientific names exist for each ant species. Although commonly known as the Formicidae family, ants belong to a large biological family. The scientific name of ants varies depending on the species. However, we can say that they all fall under the family of Formicidae.
Ant Scientific Name Pronunciation and Meaning
- The Formicidae is pronounced “for-MIH-si-dee.”
- It comes from the Latin word formica, meaning simply “ant.”
- It puts all ants into a single scientific family to facilitate researchers and scientists.
Biological Classification of Ants
Here is the complete biological classification of ants:
| Taxonomic Rank | Classification |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Formicidae |
This classification clearly shows where ants belong in the animal kingdom. Each ant species falls under this biological structure.
Scientific Names of Common Black and Red Ants
Black Ant Scientific Names
Some common black ants and their zoological names include:
- Black Garden Ant: Lasius niger
- Black Carpenter Ant: Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Red Ant Scientific Names
Some common red ants and their binomial names include:
- Red Imported Fire Ant: Solenopsis invicta
- Red Wood Ant: Formica rufa
Although these ants are different, they all belong to the family Formicidae.
Top 5 Amazing Facts About Ants
- An ant can carry something 10-50 times heavier than its body weight.
- Ants have been on the face of this Earth for over 100 million years.
- The supercolony of some ant colonies can extend thousands of kilometers.
- The queen ant can live for about 30 years.
- Ants communicate through pheromones, which are chemical messengers.
120 Types of Ants and Their Scientific Names
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Red Imported Fire Ant | Solenopsis invicta |
| Black Garden Ant | Lasius niger |
| Carpenter Ant | Camponotus pennsylvanicus |
| Argentine Ant | Linepithema humile |
| Pharaoh Ant | Monomorium pharaonis |
| European Fire Ant | Myrmica rubra |
| Bullet Ant | Paraponera clavata |
| Leafcutter Ant | Atta cephalotes |
| Weaver Ant | Oecophylla smaragdina |
| Odorous House Ant | Tapinoma sessile |
| Big-headed Ant | Pheidole megacephala |
| Yellow Crazy Ant | Anoplolepis gracilipes |
| Ghost Ant | Tapinoma melanocephalum |
| Pavement Ant | Tetramorium caespitum |
| Harvester Ant | Pogonomyrmex barbatus |
| Texas Leafcutter Ant | Atta texana |
| Rasberry Crazy Ant | Nylanderia fulva |
| Thief Ant | Solenopsis molesta |
| Acrobat Ant | Crematogaster spp. |
| Little Black Ant | Monomorium minimum |
| Army Ant | Eciton burchellii |
| African Driver Ant | Dorylus spp. |
| Dracula Ant | Adetomyrma venatrix |
| Common Thatching Ant | Formica obscuripes |
| Giant Forest Ant | Camponotus gigas |
| Shiny Crazy Ant | Nylanderia bourbonica |
| Hairy Wood Ant | Formica lugubris |
| Forest Yellow Ant | Lasius umbratus |
| Dark Rover Ant | Brachymyrmex patagonicus |
| Elegant Twig Ant | Pseudomyrmex gracilis |
| Turtle Ant | Cephalotes varians |
| Panda Ant (actually a wasp) | Euspinolia militaris |
| Jet Black Ant | Lasius fuliginosus |
| Garden Ant | Lasius neoniger |
| Florida Harvester Ant | Pogonomyrmex badius |
| Australian Bull Ant | Myrmecia gulosa |
| Indian Carpenter Ant | Camponotus compressus |
| Brazilian Army Ant | Labidus praedator |
| Red Carpenter Ant | Camponotus ferrugineus |
| Northern Fungus-Farming Ant | Trachymyrmex septentrionalis |
| Small Honey Ant | Prenolepis imparis |
| Coconut Ant | Pheidole megacephala |
| Trap-jaw Ant | Odontomachus bauri |
| Tiny Big-Headed Ant | Pheidole moerens |
| Western Harvester Ant | Pogonomyrmex occidentalis |
| Desert Ant | Cataglyphis bicolor |
| Japanese Carpenter Ant | Camponotus japonicus |
| Red Harvester Ant | Pogonomyrmex rugosus |
| Marauder Ant | Pheidologeton diversus |
| Slave-Maker Ant | Polyergus rufescens |
| Diacamma Ant | Diacamma rugosum |
| European Amazon Ant | Polyergus rufescens |
| Indian Jumper Ant | Harpegnathos saltator |
| Horned Ant | Rhytidoponera metallica |
| Amazon Ant | Neivamyrmex spp. |
| Tiger Ant | Camponotus sericeus |
| Garden Ghost Ant | Tapinoma indicum |
| Yellow Meadow Ant | Lasius flavus |
| Jet Ant | Lasius fuliginosus |
| Mound Ant | Formica exsectoides |
| Sugar Ant | Camponotus consobrinus |
| New World Army Ant | Neivamyrmex texanus |
| South American Leafcutter Ant | Atta sexdens |
| Spiny Ant | Polyrhachis spp. |
| Brown House Ant | Pheidole megacephala |
| Red Honey Ant | Myrmecocystus mexicanus |
| Malaysian Marauder Ant | Carebara diversa |
| Ghost Big-headed Ant | Pheidole dentata |
| African Sugar Ant | Camponotus acvapimensis |
| Madagascan Dracula Ant | Adetomyrma aureocuprea |
| Desert Harvester Ant | Veromessor pergandei |
| Sausage Ant | Leptanilla spp. |
| Tree Ant | Crematogaster ashmeadi |
| Yellow Thief Ant | Solenopsis picta |
| Hairy Ant | Dolichoderus thoracicus |
| Queenless Ant | Dinoponera quadriceps |
| Giant Amazonian Ant | Dinoponera gigantea |
| Florida Carpenter Ant | Camponotus floridanus |
| Big Tropical Ant | Pachycondyla harpax |
| Spiny Tree Ant | Polyrhachis armata |
| Tiny Yellow Ant | Plagiolepis alluaudi |
| Indian Weaver Ant | Oecophylla smaragdina |
| Common Tree Ant | Dinomyrmex gigas |
| Golden Sugar Ant | Camponotus chromaiodes |
| Red Wood Ant | Formica rufa |
| Indian Ghost Ant | Tapinoma melanocephalum |
| Red Crazy Ant | Nylanderia fulva |
| Asian Weaver Ant | Oecophylla smaragdina |
| Wood Ant | Formica paralugubris |
| Black Slaver Ant | Formica sanguinea |
| Jet Black Crazy Ant | Paratrechina longicornis |
| Winter Ant | Prenolepis imparis |
| Green Tree Ant | Oecophylla smaragdina |
| Forest Ant | Camponotus herculeanus |
| Asian Marauder Ant | Pheidologeton diversus |
| Black Thatching Ant | Formica fusca |
| Yellow Army Ant | Dorylus molestus |
| Sand Hill Ant | Formica subsericea |
| Small Black Ant | Monomorium minimum |
| Black Field Ant | Formica subpolita |
| Australian Meat Ant | Iridomyrmex purpureus |
| Redlegged Ant | Myrmica rubra |
| Electric Ant | Wasmannia auropunctata |
| Little Fire Ant | Wasmannia auropunctata |
| Cowkiller Ant (Wasp) | Dasymutilla occidentalis |
| Amazonian Bullet Ant | Paraponera clavata |
| Hairy Crazy Ant | Nylanderia fulva |
| Coastal Ant | Camponotus planatus |
| Silvery Ant | Cataglyphis bombycina |
| Pale Field Ant | Formica pallidefulva |
| Red Tree Ant | Formica truncorum |
| Black Thief Ant | Solenopsis molesta |
| European Black Ant | Lasius niger |
| Big Red Ant | Myrmecia gulosa |
| Black Tail Ant | Odontomachus monticola |
| Polyrhachis Ant | Polyrhachis dives |
| Longhorn Crazy Ant | Paratrechina longicornis |
| Woodland Ant | Formica integra |
| Leaf Nest Ant | Oecophylla longinoda |
| Yellow Field Ant | Lasius brevicornis |
