Two New Army Ant Species Found

In February 2026, scientists from Karnataka and Odisha discovered two new species of army ants in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, highlighting the region’s rich but understudied biodiversity.

Key Points

New Species: Researchers discovered two new army ant species named Aenictus chittoorensis and Aenictus lankamallensis in the Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh.
Role as Keystone Predators: These army ants act as top predators in forest ecosystems, helping regulate arthropod populations and maintain ecological balance by consuming large numbers of invertebrates.
Ecological Importance: Their movement during mass foraging raids drives out insects, making them available as prey for birds, reptiles and other animals, while also supporting nutrient cycling.
Unique Behaviour and Structure: Army ants are nomadic, do not build permanent nests and instead form temporary living structures called bivouacs made from the bodies of worker ants.
Distinct Biological Traits: The species are blind, possess sharp mandibles, rely on pheromones for communication and navigation, and move in organized columns during coordinated raids.