''Anoplolepis steingroeveri'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
ant
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22 ...
. It is commonly known as the black pugnacious ant. It is native to southern Africa, and occurs in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and Namibia.
The worker is similar in appearance to darker morphs of the
common pugnacious ant (''Anoplolepis custodiens''), but that species has a chequer-board-like dark pattern on the
gaster, which is caused by reflection of light by pubescent hairs which lie in different directions on the two sides.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anoplolepis steingroeveri
Formicinae
Hymenoptera of Africa
Insects described in 1894
Taxa named by Auguste Forel