''Meranoplus'' is an

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of ants in the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

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 ...

. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Classification

''Meranoplus'' is a unique and charismatic myrmicine genus of hairy, slow-moving, and armored ants. The genus was previously classified in its own

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

, the Meranoplini, with one fossil genus, '' Parameranoplus'', from

Baltic amber The Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that these forests created more than 1 ...

(44.1 ± 1.1

mya Mya may refer to: Brands and product names * Mya (program), an intelligent personal assistant created by Motorola * Mya (TV channel), an Italian Television channel * Midwest Young Artists, a comprehensive youth music program Codes * Burmese ...

), but was moved to Crematogastrini by Ward ''et al.'' (2015). The historic shuffling of ''Meranoplus'' through higher taxa — Cryptoceridae, Cataulacinae, Tetramoriini, Meranoplini — reflects our poor understanding of the

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

position of ''Meranoplus'' within the Formicidae. Brady et ''al''. (2006) recovered a clade of ''Meranoplus'' and ''

Cataulacus ''Cataulacus'' is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. The genus is distributed in the Paleotropical regions, mainly in the Afrotropics The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of ...

'', although this relationship was not supported in Moreau ''et al''. (2006).

Distribution

The extant species of ''Meranoplus'' are distributed throughout the Old World, absent only from the

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

and

Oceania Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern Hemisphere, Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of ...

regions but with the exception of ''M. levellei'', from

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

Biology

Species of this genus are predominantly ground-nesting and, when disturbed, will display

thanatosis Apparent death, colloquially known as playing dead, feigning death, or playing possum, is a behavior in which animals take on the appearance of being dead. It is an immobile state most often triggered by a predatory attack and can be found in a ...

enhanced by

crypsis In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be a predation strategy or an antipredator adaptation. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle and ...

, i.e., individuals will accumulate dirt in their pilosity and play dead. With respect to diet, most species are omnivores and facultative

granivore Seed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of plants as a main or exclusive food source,Hulme, P.E. and Benkman, C.W. (2002) "Granivory", pp. 132 ...

s, while others, including the whole ''M. diversus'' species group, are specialist granivores. At least one species, the

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

n rainforest-dwelling ''M. mucronatus'' is known to have a

trophobiotic Trophobiosis is a symbiotic association between organisms where food is obtained or provided. The provider of food in the association is referred to as a trophobiont. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek τροφή (''trophē''), meaning "no ...

relationship with

hemipteran Hemiptera (; ) is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from to around ...

s. ''Meranoplus'' species are known to be active both day and night, and to recruit via pheromone trails laid from the base of the sting using secretions from their extremely large

Dufour glands Dufour's gland is an abdominal gland of certain insects, part of the anatomy of the ovipositor or sting apparatus in female members of Apocrita. The diversification of Hymenoptera took place in the Cretaceous and the gland may have developed at ab ...

. The function of the spatulate sting is still unknown. The only species of ''Meranoplus'' for which mating has been reported is ''M. peringuiyi'', in which mating swarms occurred after a rain and where males patrolled for the outnumbered females in a zig-zag manner.

Species

*''

Meranoplus affinis ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Baroni Urbani, 1971 *''

Meranoplus ajax ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Forel, 1915 *'' Meranoplus angustinodis'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus arcuatus'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus armatus'' Smith, 1862 *'' Meranoplus astericus'' Donisthorpe, 1947 *'' Meranoplus aureolus'' Crawley, 1921 *''

Meranoplus barretti ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Santschi, 1928 *'' Meranoplus beatoni'' Taylor, 2006 *'' Meranoplus bellii'' Forel, 1902 *''

Meranoplus berrimah ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus bicolor'' (Guérin-Méneville, 1844) *''

Meranoplus biliran ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Schödl, 1998 *'' Meranoplus birmanus'' Schödl, 1999 *''

Meranoplus boltoni ''Meranoplus boltoni'', is a species of ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is found in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std= ...

'' Schödl, 1998 *'' Meranoplus borneensis'' Schödl, 1998 *'' Meranoplus castaneus'' Smith, 1857 *'' Meranoplus christinae'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus clypeatus'' Bernard, 1953 *'' Meranoplus convexius'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus crassispina'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus cryptomys'' Boudinot & Fisher, 2013 *'' Meranoplus curvispina'' Forel, 1910 *'' Meranoplus deserticola'' Schödl, 2007 *''

Meranoplus dichrous ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Forel, 1907 *'' Meranoplus digitatus'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus dimidiatus'' Smith, 1867 *'' Meranoplus discalis'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus diversoides'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus diversus'' Smith, 1867 *''

Meranoplus doddi ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Santschi, 1928 *'' Meranoplus duyfkeni'' Forel, 1915 *'' Meranoplus excavatus'' Clark, 1938 *''

Meranoplus fenestratus ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Smith, 1867 *'' Meranoplus ferrugineus'' Crawley, 1922 *'' Meranoplus froggatti'' Forel, 1913 *'' Meranoplus glaber'' Arnold, 1926 *''

Meranoplus hilli ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Crawley, 1922 *'' Meranoplus hirsutus'' Mayr, 1876 *'' Meranoplus hoplites'' Taylor, 2006 *'' Meranoplus hospes'' Forel, 1910 *''

Meranoplus inermis ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Emery, 1895 *'' Meranoplus laeviventris'' Emery, 1889 *'' Meranoplus leveillei'' Emery, 1883 *'' Meranoplus levis'' Donisthorpe, 1942 *'' Meranoplus linae'' Santschi, 1928 *'' Meranoplus loebli'' Schödl, 1998 *'' Meranoplus magrettii'' André, 1884 *'' Meranoplus malaysianus'' Schödl, 1998 *'' Meranoplus mars'' Forel, 1902 *''

Meranoplus mayri ''Meranoplus mayri'' is a Malagasy species of ant in the genus ''Meranoplus''. Distribution ''Meranoplus mayri'' is distributed throughout the drier regions of Madagascar from the Southwestern region near Andohahela National Park all the way ...

'' Forel, 1910 *'' Meranoplus mcarthuri'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus minimus'' Crawley, 1922 *'' Meranoplus minor'' Forel, 1902 *'' Meranoplus mjobergi'' Forel, 1915 *'' Meranoplus montanus'' Schödl, 1998 *'' Meranoplus mucronatus'' Smith, 1857 *'' Meranoplus naitsabes'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus nanus'' André, 1892 *''

Meranoplus nepalensis ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Schödl, 1998 *'' Meranoplus niger'' Donisthorpe, 1949 *'' Meranoplus occidentalis'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus oceanicus'' Smith, 1862 *''

Meranoplus orientalis ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Schödl, 2007 *''

Meranoplus oxleyi ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Forel, 1915 *'' Meranoplus parviumgulatus'' (Donisthorpe, 1947) *'' Meranoplus peringueyi'' Emery, 1886 *'' Meranoplus pubescens'' (Smith, 1853) *'' Meranoplus puryi'' Forel, 1902 *'' Meranoplus radamae'' Forel, 1891 *'' Meranoplus raripilis'' Donisthorpe, 1938 *'' Meranoplus rothneyi'' Forel, 1902 *'' Meranoplus rugosus'' Crawley, 1922 *'' Meranoplus sabronensis'' Donisthorpe, 1941 *'' Meranoplus schoedli'' Taylor, 2006 *''

Meranoplus similis ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Viehmeyer, 1922 *'' Meranoplus snellingi'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus spininodis'' Arnold, 1917 *''

Meranoplus spinosus ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Smith, 1859 *'' Meranoplus sthenus'' Bolton, 1981 *'' Meranoplus sylvarius'' Boudinot & Fisher, 2013 *''

Meranoplus taurus ''Meranoplus'' is an Old World genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. With over 80 valid species, it is predicted that over half of the ''Meranoplus'' diversity remains undescribed, most of these from Australia. Classification ''Meranoplus ...

'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus testudineus'' McAreavey, 1956 *'' Meranoplus tricuspidatus'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus unicolor'' Forel, 1902 *'' Meranoplus variabilis'' Schödl, 2007 *'' Meranoplus vestigator'' Smith, 1876 *'' Meranoplus wilsoni'' Schödl, 2007

References

* * *

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q4043988 Myrmicinae Ant genera