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Formicinae
The Formicinae are a subfamily within the Formicidae containing ants of moderate evolutionary development. Formicines retain some primitive features, such as the presence of cocoons around pupae, the presence of ocelli in workers, and little tendency toward reduction of palp or antennal segmentation in most species, except subterranean groups. Extreme modification of mandibles is rare, except in the genera '' Myrmoteras'' and '' Polyergus''. However, some members show considerable evolutionary advancement in behaviors such as slave-making and symbiosis with root-feeding hemipterans. Finally, all formicines have very reduced stings and enlarged venom reservoirs, with the venom gland, specialized (uniquely among ants) for the production of formic acid. All members of the Formicinae "have a one-segmented petiole in the form of a vertical scale". Identification Formicine ants have a single node-like or scale-like petiole (postpetiole entirely lacking) and the apex of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Camponotus
Carpenter ants (''Camponotus'' spp.) are a genus of large ants (workers ) indigenous to many parts of the world. True carpenter ants build nests inside wood, consisting of galleries chewed out with their mandibles or jaws, preferably in dead, damp wood. However, unlike termites, they do not consume wood, but instead discard a material that resembles sawdust outside their nest. Sometimes, carpenter ants hollow out sections of trees. They also commonly infest wooden buildings and structures, causing a widespread problem: they are a major cause of structural damage. Nevertheless, their ability to excavate wood helps in forest decomposition. The genus includes over 1,000 species. They also farm aphids. In their farming, the ants protect the aphids from predators (usually other insects) while they excrete a sugary fluid called honeydew, which the ants get by stroking the aphids with their antennae. Description Carpenter ants are generally large ants: workers are usually 4–7&nb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colobopsis
''Colobopsis'' is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. This genus was first described in 1861 by Mayr and contains 95 species. The type species is ''Colobopsis truncata''. Description As part of Camponotini, ''Colobopsis'' workers have distinctive Mandible (insect mouthpart), mandibular dentition (5-8 teeth with the 3rd tooth from the apex not being reduced), Antenna (biology), antennae 12-segmented and antennal separations well separated from the posterior Clypeus (arthropod anatomy), clypeal margin. ''Colobopsis'' workers are dimorphic, being divided into major workers and minor workers. The major workers generally have Phragmosis, phragmotic heads that are truncate to varying extents. This may cause them to be confused for ''Carpenter ant, Camponotus'' and vice versa, since some ''Camponotus'' also have phragmotic heads. Queens of ''Colobopsis'' have phragmotic heads as well. Workers in the ''Colobopsis cylindrica'' group have greatly developed mandibular glands tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Formica
''Formica'' is a genus of ants of the subfamily Formicinae, including species commonly known as wood ants, mound ants, thatching ants, and field ants. ''Formica'' is the type genus of the Formicidae, and of the subfamily Formicinae. The type species of genus ''Formica'' is the European red wood ant '' Formica rufa''. Ants of this genus tend to be between 4 and 8 mm long. Ants belonging to the ''Formica'' genus possess a single knob or bump located between their thorax and abdomen. These ants primarily feed on honeydew, a sugary liquid produced by aphids. ''Formica'' ants appear to take on a shepherding role with smaller aphids, relocating them to different parts of plants to ensure a continuous food source for the aphids. By doing so, the ants can establish a relatively sustainable honeydew supply for both themselves and their colony. Etymology The genus name ''Formica'' comes directly from the Latin ''formīca'', meaning "ant". Formic acid, which is produced by thes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myrmoteras
''Myrmoteras'' is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae and the sole member of the tribe Myrmoteratini. They have enormous eyes, a character found in other ancient genera, and extremely elongated mandibles with eight to 16 teeth. These work as trap-jaws and can open up to 270°. Description While the elongated mandibles look superficially similar to those of the basal '' Myrmecia'', the mechanism is, as a whole, totally dissimilar and is rather convergent to that of the ponerine genera ''Anochetus'' and ''Odontomachus'', and the myrmicine ''Strumigenys''. The trigger mechanism of the trap-jaw-like mandibles of ''Myrmoteras'' consists of two hairs. Other trap-jawed genera are '' Daceton'', ''Acanthognathus'', ''Orectognathus'', '' Microdaceton'', and '' Epitritus''. Distribution ''Myrmoteras'' occurs in the Indo-Malayan region.Creighton, William S. (1930): A Review of the Genus ''Myrmoteras'' (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ''Journal of the New York Entomological Society'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Calomyrmex
''Calomyrmex'' is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. The genus is known from Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl .... Calomyrmex has a mandibular gland that secretes red droplets on the sides of its head with a strong and unpleasant odor when disturbed. Species *'' Calomyrmex albertisi'' (Emery, 1887) *'' Calomyrmex albopilosus'' (Mayr, 1876) *'' Calomyrmex glauerti'' Clark, 1930 *'' Calomyrmex impavidus'' (Forel, 1893) *'' Calomyrmex laevissimus'' (Smith, 1859) *'' Calomyrmex purpureus'' (Mayr, 1876) *'' Calomyrmex similis'' (Mayr, 1876) *'' Calomyrmex splendidus'' (Mayr, 1876) *'' Calomyrmex tropicus'' (Smith, 1861) References External links * Formicinae Ant genera Hymenoptera of Asia Hymenoptera of Australia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Acidopore
The acidopore is a component of ant anatomy; a round orifice located on the abdomen encircled by hairs which typifies the subfamily Formicinae. The conical structure connects to the posterior end of an ant's gaster where formic acid Formic acid (), systematically named methanoic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid. It has the chemical formula HCOOH and structure . This acid is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in some an ... and other hydrocarbons are formed, collectively comprising the venom. Ants are able to disinfect fungus-infected brood by taking up acidopore venom into their mouth by self-grooming and applying it by brood grooming. This structure is unique to, but not present in all members of the ant subfamily Formicinae. It is termed an acidopore because it is the pore, or hole, from which formic acid is sprayed. See also * Ant venom References Insect anatomy Myrmecology {{ant-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Formiciinae
Formiciinae is an extinct subfamily of ants known from Eocene deposits in Europe and North America. Genera *Formiciinae Lutz, 1986 **Formiciini Lutz, 1986 ***''Titanomyrma'' Archibald, ''et al.'', 2011 ****''Titanomyrma gigantea'' (Lutz, 1986) ****''Titanomyrma lubei'' Archibald, ''et al.'', 2011 ****''Titanomyrma simillima'' (Lutz, 1986) ***'' Formicium'' Westwood, 1854 (collective group genus) ****''Formicium berryi'' (Carpenter, 1929) ****''Formicium brodiei'' Westwood, 1854 ****''Formicium mirabile'' (Cockerell, 1920) The type genus is '' Formicium'' with the genus ''Titanomyrma'' being described in 2011. ''Formicium'' includes the described species which are known from fossil wings only. ''Formicium'' is known from three species. ''Formicium mirabile'', named by Theodore D. A. Cockerell in 1920, and ''Formicium brodiei'', named by John O. Westwood in 1854, are both known from fore wings found in the middle Eocene of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The third species na ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chimaeromyrma ...
Chimaeromyrma is an extinct, monotypic genus of ant, first described in 1988 by Dlussky. It contains the single species ''Chimaeromyrma brachycephala''. References Further readingChimaeromyrma - AntWiki {{Taxonbar, from1=Q18102398, from2=Q14444446 Formicinae † A dagger, obelisk, or obelus is a typographical mark that usually indicates a footnote if an asterisk has already been used. The symbol is also used to indicate death (of people) or extinction (of species or languages). It is one of the mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Camponotini
Camponotini is a tribe containing 2 extinct ant genera and 8 extant ant genera, including '' Camponotus'' (carpenter ants). Ants in the Camponotini tribe are the primary hosts of ''Ophiocordyceps unilateralis'', also called the zombie-ant fungus A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one .... Genera * '' Calomyrmex'' Emery, 1895 * '' Camponotus'' Mayr, 1861 * †'' Chimaeromyrma'' Dlussky, 1988 * '' Colobopsis'' Mayr, 1861 * '' Dinomyrmex'' Ashmead, 1905 * '' Echinopla'' Smith, 1857 * '' Opisthopsis'' Dalla Torre, 1893 * '' Overbeckia'' Viehmeyer, 1916 * '' Polyrhachis'' Smith, 1857 * †'' Pseudocamponotus'' Carpenter, 1930 References Formicinae Ant tribes {{formicinae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Slave-making Ant
Slave-making ants or slaver ants are brood parasites that capture Offspring, broods of other ant species to increase the worker force of their ant colony, colony. After emerging in the slave-maker nest, slave workers work as if they were in their own colony, while parasite workers only concentrate on replenishing the labor force from neighboring Host (biology), host nests, a process called slave raiding. The slave-making ants are specialized to Parasitism, parasitize a single species or a group of related species, and they are often close relatives to their hosts, which is typical for social parasites. The slave-makers may either be Obligate parasite, permanent social parasites (thus depending on enslaved ants throughout their whole lives) or Facultative parasite, facultative slave-makers. The behavior is unusual among ants but has evolved several times convergent evolution, independently. Terminology Among animals, theft of Offspring, brood for the purpose of employing the stolen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polyergus
''Polyergus'' is a small genus of ants with 14 described species. They are also referred to by the names "slave-raiding ants" and "Amazon ants". They are characterized by their habit of raiding nests (of ''Formica'') for workers. Reproduction ''Polyergus'' workers are incapable of caring for brood, for the most part due to their dagger-like, piercing mandibles. As such, they have evolved to rely on certain species of ants in the genus ''Formica''. They have lost the instinct for carrying out even rudimentary brood care, and even for feeding themselves (which they are unable to do). ''Polyergus'' 'workers' exist more as a force of improvised soldiers, acting in essence solely to raid the ''Formica'' nests. The captured ants are generally referred to as "slaves" in scientific and popular literature, though recent attempts have been made to apply other human cultural models. Some of these describe the ''Polyergus'' as "raiders", "pirates", or "kidnappers". They also describe the ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinomyrmex
''Dinomyrmex'' is a monotypic genus of ant containing the species ''Dinomyrmex gigas'' or giant forest ant. ''D. gigas'' is a large species of ant, native to Southeast Asian forests. It is one of the largest ants in existence, measuring in at for normal workers, and for the soldiers. Honeydew makes up 90% of their diet, but they will also consume insects and bird droppings. The ant is an effective forager, utilizing both efficient communication and recruitment. A handful of these ants may meet at night to engage in what has been observed to be ritual battle. These fights can continue for several months. Colonies consist of typically about 7,000 workers, distributed unevenly among several nests. There are two types of workers, with the larger ones almost three times as heavy. They forage mainly at night, however, some workers will be outside the nest during the day. Distribution This species is found in Southeast Asian rain forests from Sumatra, Singapore, Malaysia, Borneo to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
