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Dorsal view of Titanomyrma Gigantea |
The name of the genus
is a derivative of the Greek Τιτάν (Titan), meaning 'one
of prodigious size, strength, or achievement' and alluding to the Titans of
Greek mythology; and the Greek word μύρμηξ (myrmex) meaning 'ant',gender
feminine.
The specific epithet of
the new species is formed from the surname of the collector of the holotype,
Louis Lube.
Titanomyrma is a genus of
prehistoric giant ant. The latest species to be discovered, T. lubei, was
described in 2011, when a 49.5 million year old fossilized winged queen ant,
comparable in size to hummingbirds, was found in Wyoming. This fossil is the
first fossil of a giant ant found in the Western Hemisphere. The presence of
Titanomyrma in North America is considered to indicate "the first reported
cross-Arctic dispersal by a thermophilic insect group".
Another fossil species of
this genus, T. gigantea, is the largest known fossil or extant species of giant
ant in the world. The fossil depicts the
queen ant only and no fossils of workers have been found. With the discovery of
Titanomyrma lubei and the description of the genus, two other species of giant
ants, Formicium gigantea and Formicium simillima, were reclassified into this
genus.
Titanomyrmas are very
aggressive, and as the Dossier states, come in two varieties: Soldiers, with
wings, and Drones that scuttle about the ground. Despite being much larger than
you would expect of an ant, they're still quite small (about the size of a
Dodo, but shorter), and their tendency to spawn in areas with grass makes them
difficult to locate before they attack.
The biggest threat of
Titanomyrma is their bite. A bite from Titanomyrma will poison the player and
cause their stamina to slowly decrease, preventing an escape, or increasing the
possibility of falling unconscious due to stamina loss. Additionally, due to
their speed and tendency to attack in swarms, it is difficult for players to
avoid a bite (especially new players).
Find out more: http://ark.gamepedia.com/Titanomyrma