About Plectroctena mandibularis Smith, 1858
Plectroctena mandibularis, commonly known as the ringbum ant or millipede munching ant, is a large species of ant. This species has a distribution that extends from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, through East Africa, to Ethiopia. Worker ants of this species forage alone in open terrain, and colony sizes very rarely reach more than fifty individuals. This species is one of multiple large Plectroctena species, alongside P. conjugata and P. minor, that specialize in preying on adult millipedes. Nests of Plectroctena mandibularis are made up of chambers, which are typically located at least two feet below the ground surface. Nest entrances for this species are usually marked by large piles of earth. The species gets its common name from its specific tendency to hunt and eat millipedes.
