Which continent has no native terrestrial ant species?

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Antarctica has no native terrestrial ant species.

The continent's extreme cold, ice-covered terrain, and limited food supply prevent ants from establishing natural land populations. Unlike most continents, Antarctica has no native land insects that form ordinary terrestrial ecosystems on its ice-free areas.

A few tiny ice-free regions support hardy organisms such as mites, springtails, algae, lichens, and the Antarctic midge. The Antarctic midge is the continent's largest purely terrestrial animal and is native to the Antarctic Peninsula. Most Antarctic animals associated with the continent, including penguins and seals, depend on marine or coastal environments.

Ants are widespread across the rest of the world, including many remote islands, and humans can accidentally transport them to places where they are not native. Reports of an ant found in an Antarctic station would therefore concern an introduced visitor, not a native Antarctic species. The statement refers to terrestrial ants, not every possible insect carried by ships or people.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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