Myrmecia forficata

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Inchman

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmeciinae
Genus:	Myrmecia
Species:	M. forficata

Binomial name

Myrmecia forficata
F. Smith, 1858

The inchman (Myrmecia forficata) is a species of bulldog ant that is native to Australia. The ants are recorded in the south eastern part of the country, but are most often found in Tasmania. The inchman is the most poisonous of the bulldog ants, ranging from about 15 to 25 millimeters long, but less aggressive than the Jack jumper ant. These ants are purplish-brown, with a black abdomen. Their large size gave them their name, although most are slightly smaller than the traditional inch (25.4 mm). Their nests may be inconspicuously hidden under a rock or in a small hole.

As with many species of bulldog ants, the inchman are usually solitary when they forage, though they live in colonies like most ants.

The inchman is a carnivore and a scavenger. They sting their victims with venom analogous to stings of wasps, bees, and fire ants. Their venom is some of the most powerful in the insect world. It has even been published that it is the most poisonous ant in the world.^{[citation needed]}

Citation:

The reputation for being the most poisonous ant is possibly due to the tendency of the toxin to induce anaphalactic shock. It is this which kills the victim. This has been reported in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA 2001; 175: 644-647) and reads as follows:

Bites and stings

Fatal anaphylaxis following jack jumper ant sting in southern Tasmania The "jack jumper" ant (Myrmecia pilosula) is a major cause of anaphylaxis in Tasmania. We describe four deaths attributed to stings by this ant between 1980 and 1999. All victims were men aged 40 years or over with significant comorbidities; two were taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, which may increase risk of severe anaphylaxis. Three victims had known ant-sting allergy, but only one carried adrenaline, which he did not use. Another believed he was protected by previous attempts at hyposensitisation with whole ant-body extract. There is potential to prevent deaths by careful education of people with known allergy, prescribing of adrenaline for auto-injection and development of an effective hyposensitisation therapy.

Simon G A Brown, Qi-Xuan Wu, G Robert H Kelsall, Robert J Heddle and Brian A Baldo

End of citation

The symptoms of the stings of the ants are similar to stings of the fire ants. The reaction is local; swelling, reddening and fever, followed by formation of a blister. The heart rate increases, and blood pressure falls rapidly. In about 3% of cases, the sting causes anaphylactic shock. Treatment is very similar to wasp and bee stings.