About Ectatomma ruidum (Roger, 1860)
Ectatomma ruidum (Roger, 1860) is a Neotropical ant species that belongs to the subfamily Ectatomminae. This species ranges from southern Mexico to Brazil, occurring from sea level up to an altitude of 1500–1600 m. It is a dominant species across multiple ecosystems, including natural forests and economically important cultivated areas. Ectatomma ruidum is diurnal, earth-dwelling, and builds its nests in soil. A 2012 study by Vásquez-Ordóñez et al. found that lower densities of E. ruidum nests occur in woodlands compared to grasslands. This observation matches findings from the Colombian departments of Valle del Cauca and Cauca, but does not hold for La Guajira, a drier region in the extreme north of Colombia. In La Guajira, a high abundance of E. ruidum nests is found in areas with a greater presence of trees.
