''Ravavy'' is a Malagasy

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Dolichoderinae Dolichoderinae is a subfamily of ants, which includes species such as the Argentine ant (''Linepithema humile''), the erratic ant, the odorous house ant, and the cone ant. The subfamily presents a great diversity of species throughout the world ...

containing the single

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

''Ravavy miafina''.

Description

The genus is only known from males from Madagascar. The males are distinguished from all other described males in the dolichoderine genera by its unique

mandibular In anatomy, the mandible, lower jaw or jawbone is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human facial skeleton. It forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place. The mandible sits beneath the maxilla. It is the only movable bone ...

shape. The elongate basal margin and reduced masticatory margin is considered

apomorphic In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel character or character state that has evolved from its ancestral form (or plesiomorphy). A synapomorphy is an apomorphy shared by two or more taxa and is therefore hypothesized to have ...

for the genus. The shape of the clypeus, length of scape and form of petiole, together form an inclusive diagnosis that isolates ''Ravavy'' from all other genera in the subfamily. No other described male is even superficially similar to ''Ravavy''. The shape of the mandible in ''

Bothriomyrmex ''Bothriomyrmex'' is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dolichoderinae. Distribution and habitat The genus is widely distributed in the Old World and Australia, where it is found nesting in a wide range of habitats (including grasslands, savanna w ...

'', however, is reminiscent in some respects. The mandible in ''Bothriomyrmex'' is not triangular as in ''

Tapinoma ''Tapinoma'' (from Greek ''ταπείνωμα'' low position) is a genus of ants that belongs to the subfamily Dolichoderinae. The genus currently comprises 74 described species distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate regions. Members of ...

'' for example, but like ''Ravavy'', has a short masticatory margin compared to the basal margin. In ''Bothriomyrmex'', however, the masticatory margin includes at least three teeth, while in ''Ravavy'' a single tooth is present.

References

* *

External links

* Dolichoderinae Monotypic ant genera Hymenoptera of Africa {{Dolichoderinae-stub