Argentines are known throughout Latin America for their oversized egos. They might joke that it's only a matter of time before their countrymen take over the world. It turns out that the very ground your standing on, whether in San Francisco or in Tokyo, deep down is owned by an Argentine… an Argentine ant.

Researchers have discovered that Argentine anta (Linepithema humile), a native South American species, have formed a global mega-colony.

The BBC reports: "In Europe, one vast colony of Argentine ants is thought to stretch for 6,000km (3,700 miles) along the Mediterranean coast, while another in the US, known as the 'Californian large', extends over 900km (560 miles) along the coast of California. A third huge colony exists on the west coast of Japan."

Scientists have realized that these billion-strong colonies are actually part of one global "mega-colony" of Argentine ants. ¡Argentina! ¡Argentina!

Reporting their findings in the journal Insect Sociaux, the etymologists write: "The enormous extent of this population is paralleled only by human society." But I prefer the way the BBC puts it: "The colony may be the largest of its type ever known for any insect species, and could rival humans in the scale of its world domination."

World domination. Cool.

Ants are fiercely territorial. But the researchers noticed that Argentine ants from all the major super colonies spread throughout the world act like old pals when brought into contact. The Argentine ants were like, "Hola cheee, qué contas. Tanto tiempo, boludo…."

"These ants rubbed antennae with one another and never became aggressive or tried to avoid one another," notes Matt Walker of the BBC's Earth News. "In short, they acted as if they all belonged to the same colony, despite living on different continents separated by vast oceans."

The etymologists confirmed these relations through chemical profiles, which the ants themselves use to recognize each other. It is likely humans that brought these ants to every corner of the world, save Antarctica.

The bad news is that the ants are invasive species (like Argentine tourists) and formidable pests that attack native animals and crops. Oh, Argentines.