About Cephalotes multispinosus (Norton, 1868)
Cephalotes multispinosus is an arboreal ant species belonging to the genus Cephalotes. It is distinguished by an oddly shaped head and the ability to steer its fall to "parachute" if it drops from the tree it inhabits. This ability is why ants of this type are also called gliding ants. This species is native to most of Central America, ranging from the Mexican state of Nayarit in the north to Panama in the south. There are dubious unconfirmed reports of this species occurring in the U.S. states of Texas and Illinois. Larger, flatter legs, a trait shared with other members of the genus Cephalotes, give this species its gliding capabilities. The species was first formally described and classified in 1868 by entomologist Norton.
