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, for ...
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