AntLab

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Research in the Smithsonian AntLab largely focuses on the systematics, phylogenetics, and biodiversity of ants (family Formicidae).

Two main themes run through most of our research:

The evolution, phylogenetics, and systematics of all ants with special emphasis on the fungus-growing ants; (tribe Attini, subfamily Myrmicinae).
The quantitative sampling of leaf-litter ants of South America with particular focus on the ants of the Guiana Shield.

AntLab Personnel

Current AntLab personnel include:

Principle Investigator Ted Schultz;
Research Entomologist Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo;
Museum Specialist Eugenia Okonski;
Smithsonian Postdoctoral Fellow Karen Neves.
Graduate Fellow Jignasha Rana, and
a number of Research Associates including:
Leeanne Alonso, Bernice DeMarco, Dietrich Gotzek, Ana Ješovnik, Fred Larabee, Natasha Mehdiabadi, Mark Moffett, Christian Rabeling, John LaPolla, Talitta Simoes, and Scott Solomon;
Honorary lifetime AntLab personnel include Faridah Dahlan, Matt Kweskin, Paul Armstrong, Hong Zhao, and Michael Lloyd.

AntLab Databases

W.L. Brown, Jr. Digital Library, an online database of ant taxonomic literature.

Educational Resources

Locating, collecting and maintaining colonies of fungus-farming ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini).
The Evolution of Agriculture in Ants
a Smithsonian Science How webcast featuring Ted Schultz (and fungus farming ants)
Ants: Social Insects and Farmers
Smithsonian teaching resources, videos, and webcasts
Formica's Amazing Adventure with Amy Ant
a short story about ant biology written by AntLab personnel: Elisabeth Schlegel, Jessica Louton, Natasha Mehdiabadi, and Ted Schultz. Illustrated by Katherine Arisumi

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