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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 22,000 species have been classified. They are easily identified by their geniculate (elbowed) antennae and the distinctive node-like structure that forms their slender waists. Ants form colonies that range in size from a few dozen predatory individuals living in small natural cavities to highly organised colonies that may occupy large territories and consist of millions of individuals. Larger colonies consist of various castes of sterile, wingless females, most of which are workers (ergates), as well as soldiers (dinergates) and other specialised groups. Nearly all ant colonies also have some fertile males called "drones" and one or more fertile females called "queens" ( gynes). The colonies are described as superorganisms because the ants ap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albian
The Albian is both an age of the geologic timescale and a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early/Lower Cretaceous Epoch/ Series. Its approximate time range is 113.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 100.5 ± 0.9 Ma (million years ago). The Albian is preceded by the Aptian and followed by the Cenomanian. Stratigraphic definitions The Albian Stage was first proposed in 1842 by Alcide d'Orbigny. It was named after Alba, the Latin name for River Aube in France. A Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP), ratified by the IUGS in 2016, defines the base of the Albian as the first occurrence of the planktonic foraminiferan '' Microhedbergella renilaevis'' at the Col de Pré-Guittard section, Arnayon, Drôme, France. The top of the Albian Stage (the base of the Cenomanian Stage and Upper Cretaceous Series) is defined as the place where the foram species '' Rotalipora globotruncanoides'' first appears in the stratigraphic column. The Alb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Formicinae
The Formicinae are a subfamily within the Formicidae containing ants of moderate evolutionary development. Formicines retain some primitive features, such as the presence of cocoons around pupae, the presence of ocelli in workers, and little tendency toward reduction of palp or antennal segmentation in most species, except subterranean groups. Extreme modification of mandibles is rare, except in the genera ''Myrmoteras'' and ''Polyergus''. However, some members show considerable evolutionary advancement in behaviors such as slave-making and symbiosis with root-feeding hemipterans. Finally, all formicines have very reduced stings and enlarged venom reservoirs, with the venom gland, specialized (uniquely among ants) for the production of formic acid. All members of the Formicinae "have a one-segmented petiole in the form of a vertical scale". Identification Formicine ants have a single node-like or scale-like petiole (postpetiole entirely lacking) and the apex of the a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zigrasimeciinae
Zigrasimeciinae is a subfamily of ants, known from the Cretaceous period, originally named as the tribe Zigrasimeciini within the subfamily Sphecomyrminae by Borysenko, 2017, it was elevated to full subfamily in 2020. It contains three described genera. They are sometimes known as "iron-maiden ants" in reference to their densely spiked mouthparts, reminiscent of an iron maiden torture device, that were likely used to trap prey. '' Boltonimecia canadensis'' was described from Campanian Canadian amber out of Alberta, Canada, while the species of '' Protozigrasimecia'' and '' Zigrasimecia'' are both exclusively known from Cenomanian Burmese amber Burmese amber, also known as Burmite or Kachin amber, is amber from the Hukawng Valley in northern Myanmar. The amber is dated to around 100 million years ago, during the latest Albian to earliest Cenomanian ages of the mid-Cretaceous period. The ... found in Myanmar. Genera and species * '' Boltonimecia'' ** ''B. canadensis'' *'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sphecomyrminae
Sphecomyrminae is an extinct subfamily of ants in family Formicidae known from a series of Cretaceous fossils found in North America, Europe, and Asia. Sphecomyrminae contains eight genera, divided into two tribes Sphecomyrmini and Zigrasimeciini. The tribe Sphecomyrmini contains the six genera '' Armania'', '' Cretomyrma'', '' Gerontoformica'', '' Orapia'', '' Pseudarmania'' and '' Sphecomyrma''; while Zigrasimeciini contains '' Boltonimecia'' and '' Zigrasimecia''. A number of taxa have been removed from the subfamily and placed either in other subfamilies or are now treated as ''incertae sedis'' in Formicidae. Sphecomyrminae is the most basal of the Formicidae subfamilies, but has not been included in several phylogenetic studies of the family. Symplesiomorphies of the subfamily include the structure of the antenna, which has a short basal segment and a flexible group of segments below the antenna tip. The petiole is low and rounded, with an unrestricted gaster and the pre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pseudomyrmecinae
Pseudomyrmecinae is a small subfamily of ants containing only three genera of slender, large-eyed arboreal ants, predominantly tropical or subtropical in distribution. In the course of adapting to arboreal conditions (unlike the predominantly ground-dwelling myrmeciins), the pseudomyrmecines diversified and came to occupy and retain a much wider geographic range. Pseudomyrmecinae consists of 230 described species in three genera. Among those, 32 species live in plant domatia, making them the most diverse plant-occupying ant group worldwide. *Pseudomyrmecinae Smith, 1952 ** Pseudomyrmecini Smith, 1952 *** '' Myrcidris'' Ward, 1990 *** ''Pseudomyrmex ''Pseudomyrmex'' is a genus of stinging, wasp-like ants in the subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae. They are large-eyed, slender ants, found mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of the New World. Distribution and habitat ''Pseudomyrmex'' is predom ...'' Lund, 1831 *** '' Tetraponera'' Smith, 1852 References * * External lin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Proceratiinae
Proceratiinae is a subfamily of ants in the poneromorph subfamilies group, with three extant genera, of which most are tropical or subtropical, although overall distribution is worldwide. Identification The ants are relatively small to medium in size, with colonies generally containing less than 100 individuals. They are similar to Ponerinae, except the promesonotal suture is fused and the frontal lobes are elevated (rather than transverse) and frequently reduced. In addition, the antennal sockets are exposed in a full-face (frontal) view of the head, and in most species, abdominal tergite 4 is much enlarged and vaulted, with abdominal sternite 4 being correspondingly reduced in size. Systematics The subfamily was created in 2003 when Barry Bolton divided the Ponerinae subfamily into six subfamilies. Proceratiinae is further divided into the tribes Proceratiini and Probolomyrmecini, and contains three extant genera and one extinct genus. *Proceratiinae Emery, 1895 ** Pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ponerinae
Ponerinae is a subfamily of ants in the Poneromorph subfamilies group, with about 1,600 species in 47 extant genera, including '' Dinoponera gigantea'' - one of the world's largest species of ant. Mated workers have replaced the queen as the functional egg-layers in several species of ponerine ants. In such queenless species, the reproductive status of workers can only be determined through ovarian dissections. Description and identification They are most easily identified from other subfamilies by possessing a single-node petiole with a constriction before the second gastral segment. They are rare examples of stinging ants. In addition to the sting, they can also be characterized by a single segmented petiole and the constriction of the first and second segment of the gaster. They can also be identified by the shape of their head. Female workers have twelve segmented antennae, whereas male workers have 13 segmented antennae. Behavior These ants typically nest in soil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paraponerinae
''Paraponera'' is a genus of ants and the only genus in the subfamily Paraponerinae. The name means "near-''Ponera''". It consists of two species: the extant ''Paraponera clavata'', also known as a bullet ant, found in the Neotropics, and the very small fossil species '' Paraponera dieteri'' known from Dominican amber (Early Miocene; 16-19 million years ago). Bullet ants are so named for the pain caused by their venomous stings. The intensely painful sting is toxic to invertebrates as well as vertebrates and a major component is the neurotoxic peptide poneratoxin. Species * ''Paraponera clavata ''Paraponera clavata'' is a species of ant, commonly known as the bullet ant, named for its extremely painful sting. It inhabits humid lowland rainforests in Central and South America. Etymology The specific epithet of the ant, ', means "club- ...'' (Fabricius, 1775) * †'' Paraponera dieteri'' Baroni Urbani, 1994 References External links * Paraponerinae Ant genera Mess ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myrmicinae
Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants, with about 140 extant genera; their distribution is cosmopolitan. The pupae lack cocoons. Some species retain a functional sting. The petioles of Myrmicinae consist of two nodes. The nests are permanent and in soil, rotting wood, under stones, or in trees.Goulet, H & Huber, JT (eds.) (1993) Hymenoptera of the world: an identification guide to families. Agriculture Canada. p. 224 Identification Myrmicine worker ants have a distinct postpetiole, i.e., abdominal segment III is notably smaller than segment IV and set off from it by a well-developed constriction; the pronotum is inflexibly fused to the rest of the mesosoma, such that the promesonotal suture is weakly impressed or absent, and a functional sting is usually present. The clypeus is well-developed; as a result, the antennal sockets are well separated from the anterior margin of the head. Most myrmicine genera possess well-developed eyes and frontal lobes that partly conceal the a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myrmeciinae
Myrmeciinae is a subfamily of the Formicidae, ants once found worldwide but now restricted to Australia and New Caledonia. This subfamily is one of several ant subfamilies which possess gamergates, female worker ants which are able to mate and reproduce, thus sustaining the colony after the loss of the queen. The Myrmeciinae subfamily was formerly composed of only one genus, '' Myrmecia'', but the subfamily was redescribed by Ward & Brady in 2003 to include two tribes and four genera: An additional three genera, one form genus, and 9 species were described in 2006 from the Early Eocene of Denmark, Canada, and Washington. Subsequently an additional fossil genus was moved from the family Rhopalosomatidae in 2018, and a new genus was described in 2021. Tribes and genera *Tribe Myrmeciini **'' Myrmecia'' *Tribe Prionomyrmecini **'' Nothomyrmecia'' **†'' Prionomyrmex'' *Tribe ''incertae sedis'' **†'' Archimyrmex'' **†'' Avitomyrmex'' **†''Macabeemyrma'' **†' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martialinae
''Martialis heureka'' is a species of ant discovered in 2000 from the Amazon rainforest near Manaus, Brazil. It was described as a new species and placed as the sole member of a new subfamily, Martialinae. The generic name means "from Mars" and was given due to its unusual morphology, and the species epithet '' heureka'' indicates the surprising discovery. It belongs to the oldest known distinct lineage to have diverged from the ancestors of all other ants. Etymology The aberrant features of this ant led Stefan P. Cover and Edward O. Wilson to comment that it was an ant that had to be from Mars. The genus name, then, refers to the planet Mars, alluding to the strange characteristics that seem to come from nowhere; the species epithet is from Ancient Greek ηὕρηκα "I found it", echoing Archimedes' famous exclamation, meant to epitomize the troubles involved in the rediscovery of the species after the first specimen discovered in a soil sample was lost. Discovery Tw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
