''Pseudomyrmex triplarinus'' is a

venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...

ous species of

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 ...

that lives in symbiosis with trees of the genus ''

Triplaris ''Triplaris'' is a genus of plants in the family Polygonaceae. Ant tree is a common name for plants in this genus. The species are variously distributed in the Americas. Some species are used for lumber. They are dioecious pioneer species. Spe ...

'', including the

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

n species '' T. americana'', '' T. cumingiama'', and '' T. felipensis''. The ant protects the trees against

predation Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill th ...

by other insects and animals. The ant's venom has anti-inflammatory properties.

References

Pseudomyrmecinae Insects described in 1850 {{ant-stub