Dacetine
Guides
Strumigenys silvestrii
silvestrii-group Pygmy Snapping Ants
Strumigenys silvestrii is a tiny dacetine ant in the genus Strumigenys, a group known for their specialized trap-jaw mandibles. Native to South America, this species has undergone significant geographic expansion, establishing populations across the West Indies, southern United States, and more recently in the Old World (Madeira, mainland Portugal, and Macau). It represents the only New World dacetine ant recorded in the Old World. The species exhibits a complex biogeographic pattern with records from both undisturbed forests and human-modified environments.