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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'' **†''Propalo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myrmeciites
''Myrmeciites'' is an extinct form genus of bulldog ants in the subfamily Myrmeciinae of the family Formicidae, which contains three described species and two fossils not placed beyond the genus level. Described in 2006 from Ypresian stage (Early Eocene) deposits, all three of the described species and one unplaced fossil are from British Columbia, Canada, while the second unplaced fossil is from Washington State, USA. These ants were large, with the largest specimens collected reaching . The behaviour of these ants would have been similar to extant Myrmeciinae ants, such as solitary foraging, nesting either in the soil or trees, and leaving no pheromone trail to food sources. Due to the poor preservation of these ants, their phylogenetic position among Myrmeciinae is unclear, and no type species has been designated. These ants are classified as ''incertae sedis'' in Myrmeciinae, but some writers have classified it as ''incertae sedis'' within the insect order Hymenoptera. This r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archimyrmex
''Archimyrmex'' is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Myrmeciinae, described by palaeoentomologist Theodore Cockerell in 1923. The genus contains four described species, ''Archimyrmex rostratus'', ''Archimyrmex piatnitzkyi'', ''Archimyrmex smekali'' and ''Archimyrmex wedmannae''. ''Archimyrmex'' is known from a group of Middle Eocene fossils which were found in North America, South America, and Europe. The genus was initially placed in the subfamily Ponerinae, but it was later placed in Myrmeciinae; it is now believed to be the ancestor of the extant primitive genus ''Myrmecia'' from Australia. Despite this, ''Archimyrmex'' is not a member to any tribe and is regarded as ''incertae sedis'' within Myrmeciinae. However, some authors believe ''Archimyrmex'' should be assigned as ''incertae sedis'' within Formicidae. These ants can be characterised by their large mandibles and body length, ranging from . They also have long, thin legs and an elongated mesosoma (thora ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avitomyrmex
''Avitomyrmex'' is an extinct genus of bulldog ants in the subfamily Myrmeciinae which contains three described species. The genus was described in 2006 from Ypresian stage ( Early Eocene) deposits of British Columbia, Canada. Almost all the specimens collected are queens, with an exception of a single fossilised worker. These ants are large, and the eyes are also large and well developed; a sting is present in one species. The behaviour of these ants may have been similar to extant Myrmeciinae ants, such as foraging solitarily for arthropod prey and never leaving pheromone trails to food sources. ''Avitomyrmex'' has not been assigned to any tribe, instead generally being regarded as ''incertae sedis'' within Myrmeciinae. However, its identity as an ant has been challenged, although it is undoubtedly a hymenopteran insect. History and classification ''Avitomyrmex'' is an extinct genus of ants with three described species. Fossils of ''Avitomyrmex'', along with other extinct Myr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myrmecia (ant)
''Myrmecia'' is a genus of ants first established by Danish zoologist Johan Christian Fabricius in 1804. The genus is a member of the subfamily Myrmeciinae of the family Formicidae. ''Myrmecia'' is a large genus of ants, comprising at least 93 species that are found throughout Australia and its coastal islands, while a single species is only known from New Caledonia. One species has been introduced out of its natural distribution and was found in New Zealand in 1940, but the ant was last seen in 1981. These ants are commonly known as bull ants, bulldog ants or jack jumper ants, and are also associated with many other common names. They are characterized by their extreme aggressiveness, ferocity, and painful stings. Some species are known for the jumping behavior they exhibit when agitated. Species of this genus are also characterized by their elongated mandibles and large compound eyes that provide excellent vision. They vary in colour and size, ranging from . Although worke ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nothomyrmecia
''Nothomyrmecia'', also known as the dinosaur ant or dawn ant, is an extremely rare genus of ants consisting of a single species, ''Nothomyrmecia macrops''. These ants live in South Australia, nesting in old-growth mallee woodland and ''Eucalyptus'' woodland. The full distribution of ''Nothomyrmecia'' has never been assessed, and it is unknown how widespread the species truly is; its potential range may be wider if it does favour old-growth mallee woodland. Possible threats to its survival include habitat destruction and climate change. ''Nothomyrmecia'' is most active when it is cold because workers encounter fewer competitors and predators such as '' Camponotus'' and ''Iridomyrmex'', and it also increases hunting success. Thus, the increase of temperature may prevent them from foraging and very few areas would be suitable for the ant to live in. As a result, the IUCN lists the ant as Critically Endangered. As a medium-sized ant, ''Nothomyrmecia'' measures . Workers are mono ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macabeemyrma
''Macabeemyrma'' is an extinct genus of bulldog ants in the subfamily Myrmeciinae containing the single species ''Macabeemyrma ovata'', described in 2006 from Ypresian stage (Early Eocene) deposits of British Columbia, Canada. Only a single specimen is known; a holotype queen found preserved as a compression fossil. The specimen had no wings and small portions of its legs and eyes were faintly preserved. It was a large ant, reaching in length. This ants' behaviour would have been similar to that of extant Myrmeciinae ants, such as foraging singly in search for arthropod prey and nesting in soil or in trees. ''Macabeemyrma'' shows similarities to extinct ants in the genus ''Ypresiomyrma'', and to the living ''Nothomyrmecia macrops'', but has not been conclusively assigned to any tribe, instead generally regarded as ''incertae sedis'' within Myrmeciinae. However, the sole specimen lacks definitive traits, and its classification in Myrmeciinae, and even its identity as an ant, has ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ypresiomyrma
''Ypresiomyrma'' is an extinct genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmeciinae that was described in 2006. There are four species described; one species is from the Isle of Fur in Denmark, two are from the McAbee Fossil Beds in British Columbia, Canada, and the fourth from the Bol’shaya Svetlovodnaya fossil site in Russia. The queens of this genus are large, the mandibles are elongated and the eyes are well developed; a stinger is also present. The behaviour of these ants would have been similar to that of extant Myrmeciinae ants, such as solitary foraging for arthropod prey and never leaving pheromone trails. The alates were poor flyers due to their size, and birds and animals most likely preyed on these ants. ''Ypresiomyrma'' is not assigned to any tribe, and is instead generally regarded as ''incertae sedis'' within Myrmeciinae. However, some authors believe ''Ypresiomyrma'' should be assigned as ''incertae sedis'' within Formicidae. History and classification Fossils of ''Ypres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prionomyrmex
''Prionomyrmex'' is an extinct genus of bulldog ants in the subfamily Myrmeciinae of the family Formicidae. It was first described by Gustav Mayr in 1868, after he collected a holotype worker of ''P. longiceps'' in Baltic amber. Three species are currently described, characterised by their long mandibles, slender bodies and large size. These ants are known from the Eocene and Late Oligocene, with fossil specimens only found around Europe. It is suggested that these ants preferred to live in jungles, with one species assumed to be an arboreal nesting species. These ants had a powerful stinger that was used to subdue prey. In 2000, it was suggested by Cesare Baroni Urbani that the living species '' Nothomyrmecia macrops'' and a species he described both belonged to ''Prionomyrmex'', but this proposal has not been widely accepted by the entomological community. Instead, scientists still classify the two genera distinctive from each other, making ''Nothomyrmecia'' a valid genus. D ... [...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'' **†''Propalo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prionomyrmecini
Prionomyrmecini is an ant tribe belonging to the subfamily Myrmeciinae established by William Morton Wheeler in 1915. Two members are a part of this tribe, the extant '' Nothomyrmecia'' and the extinct '' Prionomyrmex''. The tribe was once considered a subfamily due to the similarities between ''Nothomyrmecia'' and ''Prionomyrmex'', but such reclassification was not widely accepted by the scientific community. These ants can be identified by their long slender bodies, powerful stingers and elongated mandibles. Fossil Prionomyrmecini ants were once found throughout Europe, possibly nesting in trees and preferring jungle habitats. Today, ''Prionomyrmecini'' is only found in Australia, preferring old-growth mallee woodland surrounded by ''Eucalyptus'' trees. ''Nothomyrmecia'' workers feed on nectar and arthropods, using their compound eyes for prey and navigational purposes. Owing to their primitive nature, they do not recruit others to food sources or create pheromone trails. ''Not ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Myrmecia Species
''Myrmecia'' is a genus of small to large venomous ants commonly known as bulldog ants or jack jumper ants. The genus was first established by Danish zoologist Johan Christian Fabricius in 1804 and is placed in the subfamily Myrmeciinae of the family Formicidae. There are currently 94 described species in this genus, 93 of which are valid and identifiable. Almost all species are endemic to Australia and can be found nowhere else, with an exception of a single species found in New Caledonia. Species Notes References Cited literature *{{Cite book , first=John , last=Clark , title=The Formicidae of Australia (Volume 1). Subfamily Myrmeciinae. , publisher=Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia, place=Melbourne , year=1951 , url=http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/images/e/e5/Clark_1951.pdf * Myrmecia Myrmecia can refer to: * ''Myrmecia'' (alga), genus of algae associated with lichens * ''Myrmecia'' (ant), genus of ants called bulldog ants * Myrmec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ant Subfamilies
Ants (family Formicidae in the order Hymenoptera) are the most species-rich of all social insects, with more than 12,000 described species and many others awaiting description. Formicidae is divided into 21 subfamilies, of which 17 contain extant taxa, while four are exclusively fossil. Ants have come to occupy virtually all major terrestrial habitats, with the exception of tundra and cold ever-wet forests. They display a wide range of social behaviors, foraging habits and associations with other organisms, which has generated scientific and public interest. Clades Beginning in the 1990s, molecular (DNA sequence) data have come to play a central role in attempts to reconstruct the ant "tree of life". Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on multiple nuclear genes have yielded robust results that reinforce some preexisting views but overturn others – and suggest that there has been considerable morphological convergence among some ant lineages. Molecular data provide very ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
