Sri Lankan Relict Ant vs Yellow-faced Horntail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sri Lankan Relict Ant Yellow-faced Horntail
Scientific Name Aneuretus simoni Sirex nitobei
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Aneuretidae Siricidae
Size 3-4 mm 15–30 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Omnivores Wood Feeders
Regions Sri Lanka East Asia
Conservation Critically Endangered Not Evaluated

Sri Lankan Relict Ant

The sole surviving member of its entire subfamily, known only from a few localities in Sri Lanka's rainforests. A true living fossil representing an ancient ant lineage.

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Did You Know?

The only living species in its entire subfamily, all other members went extinct millions of years ago.

Yellow-faced Horntail

A large woodwasp native to East Asia that occasionally appears as an invasive species. Females bore into larch and pine to deposit eggs.

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Did You Know?

It carries the same damaging symbiotic fungus Amylostereum areolatum as its relative Sirex noctilio.