Ocymyrmex is an African genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae, also commonly known as hotrod ants.
Distribution and habitat Species are thermophilic (thrives at relatively high temperatures) and live in dry savanna to extreme desert conditions in parts of the Afrotropics. They seem to be restricted to Southern and Eastern Africa, with no species occurring in West and Central Africa, or the sub-Saharan Sahelian Zone. Their nests are located deep in the ground, usually in sandy soil, with colonies consisting of 200 to 1000 individuals. Adapted to arid climates, they move remarkably fast during the day. They feed mainly on corpses of heat-stricken animals, living termites and seeds.
Species
Ocymyrmex afradu Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex alacer Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex ankhu Bolton, 1981 Ocymyrmex barbiger Emery, 1886 Ocymyrmex cavatodorsatus Prins, 1965 Ocymyrmex celer Weber, 1943 Ocymyrmex cilliei Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex cursor Bolton, 1981 Ocymyrmex dekerus Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex engytachys Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex flavescens Stitz, 1923 Ocymyrmex flaviventris Santschi, 1914 Ocymyrmex foreli Arnold, 1916 Ocymyrmex fortior Santschi, 1911 Ocymyrmex gariepensis Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex gordoni Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex hirsutus Forel, 1910 Ocymyrmex ignotus Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex kahas Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex laticeps Forel, 1901 Ocymyrmex micans Forel, 1910 Ocymyrmex monardi Santschi, 1930 Ocymyrmex nitidulus Emery, 1892 Ocymyrmex okys Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex phraxus Bolton, 1981 Ocymyrmex picardi Forel, 1901 Ocymyrmex resekhes Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex robecchii Emery, 1892 Ocymyrmex robustior Stitz, 1923 Ocymyrmex shushan Bolton, 1981 Ocymyrmex sobek Bolton, 1981 Ocymyrmex sphinx Bolton, 1981 Ocymyrmex tachys Bolton & Marsh, 1989 Ocymyrmex turneri Donisthorpe, 1931 Ocymyrmex velox Santschi, 1932 Ocymyrmex weitzeckeri Emery, 1892 Ocymyrmex zekhem Bolton, 1981
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